I visited Aburimochi Ichiwa in Kita-ku, Kyoto. Located in front of the east gate of Imamiya Shrine, it offers aburimochi alongside another shop called Kazariya. The menu consists of only aburimochi, priced at 500 yen per serving with straightforward pricing. If you use the parking lot, there is a one-hour free service. Established in the year 1000, it is the oldest surviving food and beverage establishment from the Heian period. It is a longstanding tea house that once offered mochi to those displaced during the Onin War. The current building itself is designated as an important architectural landmark, but surprisingly, the atmosphere is friendly. When seated, tea is served. While waiting for the dish, the nostalgic smell of rice being smoked over charcoal tickles the nostrils. Chewing the soft mochi reveals a light crispy edge from the scorching. I thought it was burnt mochi, but it was actually the nutty aroma from the roasted soybean flour. When combined with the mildly sweet white miso sauce, it creates an indescribable deliciousness. The 10 skewers disappeared quickly, prompting me to order more. It was truly delicious. Thank you for the meal.

At the Imamiya Shrine, they have a famous grilled mochi. After visiting the nearby souvenir shop, I also tried this. It costs 600 yen per serving. This one was saltier compared to the souvenir shop. Personally, I was a bit disappointed because it was too burnt.

I visited Ichiwa and Kazariya to compare their aburi mochi. I had previously been to the main store, Nemoto Kazariya, and decided to try both side by side. Ichiwa's mochi was slightly firmer with a slightly salty sauce, while Kazariya had a melt-in-your-mouth texture with a sweeter sauce. Personally, I preferred Kazariya, but Ichiwa was also delicious. Last time, I visited around 2pm and both places had long lines, so I couldn't compare them then. This time, I went around 10am and there weren't as many people, so I was able to compare them. The fourth picture is of Kazariya. #aburimochi #kazariya #ichiwa #wasuke #mochi #wagashi #sweets #Kyoto #Kyoto gourmet #Kyoto cafe #Tabelog #Tabelog top 100 #Tabelog high rating #Japan

There is a shop selling aburi mochi on the approach to Imamiya Shrine. The shop has been around for about 1000 years, making it one of the oldest in Kyoto. According to Wiki, it is said to be the oldest food and beverage establishment in Japan. I wanted to try this aburi mochi, so I took a bus from Kitaoji Station. It had been a while since I took a city bus, but the routes are easier to find now, and if you know how to use them, it can be quite convenient. I wish I had started using them earlier. Perhaps because it was a weekday, including Imamiya Shrine, there weren't many people around. I wanted to compare it with the decoration shop across the street, which has been around for about 400 years, but I decided to save that for another time. The only option at the shop was aburi mochi, and they asked how many servings I wanted. Since it was after lunch, I opted for a single serving. I was served quickly, with 11 pieces in a serving. The bite-sized mochi is grilled after being coated with kinako, and then topped with a sweet white miso sauce. The first taste is the sweetness of the sauce, followed by a delightful smoky flavor. The mochi has a slightly burnt taste, but it complements the sweet sauce perfectly. The sauce is quite sweet, but it doesn't feel overwhelming like mitarashi sauce. I quickly devoured the mochi. It was delicious! You can also take it home, but I think it's best enjoyed on the spot. I'll make sure to come back with an empty stomach next time so I can compare it with the other shop!

Facing two grilled rice cake shops, I hesitated on which one to choose but ended up at Ichiwa Ichimonjiya Wafuku-san. The rice cakes were easy to eat with a gentle sweetness that wasn't too overpowering. I thought about trying the shop across the street as well, but the rice cakes were surprisingly filling, so I decided to save it for next time.

It's been a while since I wanted to eat here... I visited just before lunchtime. I was deciding between which store to go to, but since there was a lull in customers, I decided to visit Ichigo. The taste is just as I remembered! The sweetness is delicious~ A passing rain shower came through, but it was nice to relax inside and enjoy the view. It felt like a luxurious time.

I visited Imamiya Shrine and tried the "Aburi Mochi." It has been made using the same traditional method for over 1,000 years. Each mochi is carefully grilled. The sauce is made with white miso, which complements the soft and fragrant mochi perfectly.

I visited "Ichimonjiya Wasuke" located within the precincts of Imamiya Shrine. This restaurant has been awarded "Tabelog Sweets WEST Top 100" for 3 consecutive years. Imamiya Shrine has been blessed with many worshippers since the time of the transfer of the capital to Heian (794 AD). "Ichimonjiya Wasuke" is located within the shrine's grounds and is a truly historic dining establishment that has been in business for over 1000 years. The appearance of the shop exudes a sense of history. I tried their Aburi Mochi (12 pieces for 600 yen) this time. In these times, to offer 12 pieces for 600 yen is quite impressive. The bite-sized pieces make it easy to eat them quickly. The white miso sauce is sweet and leaves a good aftertaste. The complimentary cold roasted green tea was refreshing and much appreciated. I had always wanted to visit this place, and I was very satisfied with the quality that exceeded my expectations. There is also "Kazariya," a branch of the shop, across the street, which I still want to visit. Thank you for the meal.

On this side, there is a 25-year-old bloodline and a sign that looks old, so the advertising was weak and there were few customers. The grilled rice cake was a bit burnt and bitter, so I think it depends on the grilling that day. However, whether you enter from either side, you can eat grilled rice cakes for the same price of 600 yen per serving, so it doesn't matter which side you choose, and it is delicious.

I visited this place last year and it was delicious, so I came back again. This time, I took the city bus to get here. I was told that grilled rice cakes go well with red wine, so I asked the owner for permission to have it with wine, and it was a great combination. Of course, the restaurant does not serve alcohol.

I have finished my visit to the Tamano Koshinja Shrine this year, and stopped by a grilled mochi shop that I love to receive some mochi before heading home. There is Ichiwa and Kazariya facing each other. I went to Kazariya last year, so this year I chose Ichiwa. The grilled mochi at Ichiwa is labeled as "Aburi Mochi" in the store. Lightly pounded mochi is skewered on a bamboo stick, grilled over charcoal, and served with a sweet and savory white miso sauce. You can enjoy the traditional taste of Kyoto that has been passed down since the Heian period, along with history. I will definitely visit again next year! Thank you for the meal. Now, let's go home!

I might prefer Kazariya over Yorimo in front of me. The white miso at Kazariya tastes slightly richer and sweeter, while the sauce at Wafuku has a more elegant feel. The crispy charred flavor was overwhelmingly delicious at Wafuku. By the way, Kazariya serves green tea while here it's genmaicha, I think.

This is my second visit. Last time, I had to wait in line a lot, but today I got in right away. I tried comparing the food with the shop across the street, but I prefer the crispy charred taste here. It was really delicious when I came last time and I really liked it. My husband also liked it, so this time we revisited at his request. The sweet miso sauce is irresistible. Thank you for the meal.

This time, around 2:15 PM in the north, there were about 10% of customers... I sat down casually again... ordered a serving of grilled mochi... the food was delicious again, but it was slightly sweeter compared to earlier... the tea was average... I didn't notice it in the previous store, but is there a reason why the skewer is cracked at the end? I paid 600 yen in cash... I probably won't be coming to Kyoto city for a while now. I have taken a week off in July, so I will strive to complete Ramen WEST Top 100 2022 in Fukuoka Prefecture... I have already visited 84 out of the 100 Sweets WEST Top 100 2022 stores... there are still quite a few left in Kyoto city, but there are also some in Fukuoka and Shiga Prefectures... I hope to make it work somehow in the summer of 2023 with a Seishun 18 Ticket... I'm heading home.

I slipped into Ichiwa-san next to Kazariya-san right before closing time at 5pm. After sharing a portion at Kazariya-san, we visited Ichiwa-san and ordered another portion. The price and closing time are the same, right? As for the taste... I thought Kazariya-san was too sweet, but Ichiwa-san was even sweeter... It was too sweet for me. I think it would be delicious for those who like sweet things.

Eating aburi mochi at a shop that exudes history. The mochi is grilled to the point where it looks burnt, but surprisingly the burnt flavor isn't off-putting. It's glazed with a white miso sauce. I visited with my 4-year-old child, who happily devoured it despite my initial concern that they might find the burnt taste bitter. When you dine in or take out at this shop, you receive a complimentary 1-hour parking voucher for a nearby parking lot.

I went there on a weekday afternoon! It was quite crowded, but I was able to find a seat. There are two styles of seating: one where you sit with your shoes on in a hallway-like area, and another where you sit in a tatami room. The aburi mochi is small, but there are 11 pieces so you can eat a lot! The thin mochi is grilled crispy and topped with sweet sauce. They also serve complimentary tea. There is a small garden in front of you, so you can relax and enjoy the view!!!

I visited during lunchtime. I arrived before 1:30 pm and was able to be seated right away. There were about 8 customers visible in the area, with many foreign customers on the second floor. This is a long-established store that was founded in the year 1000. Across the street is "Kazariya," which is also a famous aburi mochi shop selected as one of the top 100 shops. This time, I ordered the "Aburi Mochi for 600 yen," which was served in about 5 minutes. It consisted of 11 skewers dipped in sweet white miso sauce. The mochi was soft and stretchy, with a nice crispy charred flavor. The aroma of kinako powder was also evident. The overall sweetness was just right and paired well with Japanese tea. Compared to "Kazariya," it had a more refined taste. It was a delicious aburi mochi that was hard to choose between the two shops. Thank you for the meal!

Pilgrimage to a sacred place. Last year, I got really into "Dog King" and went on a pilgrimage to the holy site. It's a shop that appeared in the movie. (Dog King is also available on Amazon Prime and Blu-ray, so everyone should watch it ♥) The interior of the shop is spacious with traditional seating and table seating like an old-fashioned teahouse. The menu has only one option, grilled mochi. The taste is very delicious. The sweetness spreads in your mouth. The chewy texture and the slightly burnt part are also good. The staff speak in strong Kyoto dialect, which adds to the atmosphere. I wish it was closer to where I live. It's a shop I want to visit again.