kinako-anko
January 19, 2019 (Day 1) After 5 years, I visited Amanohashidate for sightseeing. I had a bowl of ramen for lunch, then took the lift to climb up to "Ukimi-do Park" and enjoyed the view of Amanohashidate. On the way back, I used the lift again to descend, and then I visited a cafe for some tea time. The cafe I visited was "Cafe Patisserie Genmyoan" located at the corner of Chaya Street entrance. The exterior with white walls and black pillars was very beautiful, so I decided to stop by. It's a popular cafe known for its handmade cakes and pastries, managed by the hostess of the long-established luxury inn "Genmyoan" located on a hill 80m above Amanohashidate. Inside the cafe, the white walls and neatly arranged products on brown wooden shelves, along with a corner selling ceramics and glasses, created a calm atmosphere. I sat at a table bathed in the warm sunlight filtering through the woods and ordered the "Matsukaze" for 1200 yen, which consisted of sake lees ice cream and matcha ice cream with kinako (roasted soybean flour). My friend ordered the "Genmyo" pound cake with black beans and iced coffee. I considered adding a drink to my order, but decided against it as it would have exceeded 1500 yen in a cafe, which I thought was a bit too much. After 5 minutes, our orders arrived, along with a complimentary cookie. The dessert was presented in an octagonal Arita ware-style porcelain dish with two round ice creams, Tamba black beans scattered in between, and local kinako sprinkled on top. It looked very stylish, but considering the price, I was expecting more luxurious toppings like strawberries or black honey. The ice creams were "Sake Lees Ice Cream" made with sake lees from Takeno Sake Brewery in Tango Peninsula, and "Matcha Ice Cream" with a rich green color and flavor. The subtle aroma of sake and the elegant taste of matcha, combined with the nutty flavor of kinako, along with the large Tamba black beans, created a delightful and satisfying dessert. The ambiance was great, allowing us to relax and enjoy the experience. However, I couldn't help but think that 600 yen for one round ice cream was a bit pricey, especially when compared to a popular Belgian chocolatier in Tokyo Station where a double scoop on a cone was only 972 yen. I had a little taste of my friend's leftover iced coffee before we headed out to explore Amanohashidate. Bon appétit! (●^o^●)