I watched a video on YouTube of someone exploring Kyoto and eating a mountain pepper pork bun near Kiyomizu Temple. I wanted to try it, but it seems the menu has changed and now they offer a spicy chili pork bun instead. It was a cold day, so it was nice to be able to warm up in the cozy restaurant and enjoy the spicy pork bun. Not only did it warm me up, but it was also a relaxing spot to take a break and unwind.

Let's go to Kyoto! So, I went for a walk in Kyoto during the beautiful autumn season. I visited the famous Kiyomizu Temple and enjoyed the vibrant autumn leaves. After that, I discovered something interesting. "Ageojaga" for 540 yen is basically like potato chips. It's a collaboration between Shichimiya and Calbee, with 4 individually wrapped bags inside. There are 2 bags each of yuzu shichimi flavor and shichimi flavor. The amount in each bag is just right for one person to finish. The shichimi flavor has a nice fragrance of sansho pepper, while the yuzu shichimi flavor was a bit spicy but still enjoyable. Bon appétit!

This is a seven-spice shop located on a slope somewhere. They let you taste the dashi with seven-spice added. I visited Kiyomizu Temple to reconfirm the seven-spice that had been on my mind since I visited 8 years ago. When I tried tasting just the seven-spice, personally, I found that the chili pepper was a bit too sharp, and since my favorite sesame seeds were not included, I decided to pass. I wanted to buy yuzu seven-spice, but it seemed they only had one type of yuzu, and as mentioned earlier, the chili pepper was too sharp, so I hesitated and ended up buying only yuzu peel to make yuzu seven-spice at home. I look forward to blending the yuzu peel with my favorite seven-spice and enjoying it! Yuzu Peel 486 yen

The shop in front of Sumikko Gurashi Do, called Shichimiya Honpo, is a shop specializing in shichimi togarashi (seven-spice blend). The shop is filled with various types of chili peppers, which caught my interest. However, what intrigued me even more was the window display next to it. They were selling Yuzu Manju (price forgotten) here. The Yuzu Manju peeking out of the steamer basket looked very appealing. Let's try the Yuzu Manju with the Shichimiya logo on it. The scent of yuzu is distinct, not too overpowering, allowing the savory taste of the meat to come through, making it delicious. However, what bothered me was the cheese. It felt a bit out of place. Honestly, I wanted to taste the flavor of the yuzu with a hint of spiciness, without the cheese. The cheese seemed unnecessary. It was tasty, but the cheese felt like a missed opportunity. Thank you for the meal~♪

From the late Showa period, a friend told me a story about children on a school trip to Kyoto asking for pocket money, saying "Don't tell your mother!" and giving them a generous amount of money, instructing them to buy shichimi (seven-spice blend) instead of yatsuhashi. I heard this story a few years ago, so I don't remember the name of the shop or the product. But during a family trip to Kyoto, after feeling disappointed by the heavily renovated Kiyomizu Temple, we happened to stumble upon a shichimi shop on Sannenzaka. I'm not sure if it's the same shop my friend mentioned, but it felt like fate. We went into the shop and asked the old man behind the counter for a taste of the shichimi. He poured hot water into a small paper cup and added a sprinkle of shichimi. When I tasted the hot water (with dashi), I couldn't help but think of the famous line by Yusaku Matsuda, "What the hell is this?" The shichimi was quite different from what I had imagined, a true taste of "Japanese style" shichimi. It was incredibly delicious. I bought a pack of shichimi and a container set, and when we returned from the trip, we had a hot pot for dinner. Initially, we ate it with ponzu sauce (from Mitsukan), but when we added the shichimi we bought as a souvenir, it brought about a wonderful change in flavor. My son said it tasted like a professional chef's dish. The chopsticks kept moving with delight. The next morning, we grilled pork tongue in a frying pan and sprinkled shichimi and Alpine salt on top. The Sichuan pepper in the shichimi was overpowering, creating a different but delicious taste. So, we tried Crazy Salt on the pork tongue, and it was a big hit! It seems that the shichimi's compatibility not only depends on personal preference but also on how it is used in cooking. Reading the instructions that came with the shichimi we purchased, it mentioned that shichimi can be used for udon, soba, pickles, simmered vegetables, miso soup, hot pot, marinades for grilled meat, Chinese cuisine, and other seasonings and marinades for dishes... The exploration of the depths of shichimi's compatibility with different foods is something I look forward to continuing. ********************************** Order: Plastic Small Shichimi - 540 yen **********************************

Please try it once. The flavor is exceptional. It is not a cheap product, but it is definitely worth more than the price, at least 120% value! I always buy it when I come to Kyoto. It is also sold at a long-established department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, but buying it here in Kyoto is the best. This time, in addition to the seven-spice blend I always buy, I also purchased yuzu and sansho pepper flavors. The taste is just amazing. Enjoy!

Accompaniment for white rice ♡⃛★★★★★ 5.0 Highly recommended way to enjoy with white rice Delicious white rice + raw egg + shichimi pepper, shichimi pepper is a must-have for white rice! I'm a huge fan and give it a perfect 5.0! Visited this shop during a trip to Kyoto. Kyoto in spring is crowded everywhere, especially on the way to Kiyomizu-dera temple. But this shop is here! I learned about their shichimi pepper from my mother and have been a fan ever since! If you like sansho pepper, you will think their shichimi pepper is exquisite. I usually hesitate between buying shichimi pepper or ichimi pepper because I love spicy food, but I only bought shichimi pepper here because I wanted to savor the flavor. They also offer dashi for tasting, as well as samples of shichimi pepper and ichimi pepper. The staff is friendly and you can ask them questions, making the atmosphere enjoyable. I bought a few bags, but I love it so much that I gave some to my friends, so I wish I had bought more. I highly recommend their shichimi pepper.

Well, it's a tourist spot so the quality is average. However, you can properly taste the food, which is good.

When you go to Kyoto, you must always buy our household's go-to dashi stock, Nana Fushimiya's obanzai base, 50 bags for 2160 yen. The secret to the deliciousness of this obanzai base lies in processing bonito flakes, mackerel flakes, dashi kombu, shiitake mushrooms, etc. into granules, resulting in a very good Kyoto-style dashi in tea bag form. It's like magic dashi that allows you to easily enjoy the taste of authentic dishes at home. Of course, it's great for miso soup, ozoni, simmered dishes, chawanmushi, and more, but recently we've been using it for curry as well. When used in curry, it gives a taste similar to a soba shop curry, making homemade curry udon even more delicious. Each household may have different uses, but Nana Fushimiya's obanzai base makes it easy to create authentic dashi. It's a great souvenir from Kyoto that will be appreciated. "Thank you for the meal."

This is amazing! It's incredibly delicious with a perfect balance of seven spices. It's made of red pepper, white sesame, black sesame, sansho pepper, green laver, green perilla, and nori seaweed. It's a mysterious and deep flavor that makes you wonder how they achieve it with these seven ingredients. When you really savor it, you can start to distinguish each of the seven flavors, with each one standing out in its own way. It's like an orchestra with only seven members, but each one is a fantastic musician, and together they confidently convey their harmony to your heart.

"Wait, is this really shichimi?" Some tourists may be surprised by the appearance and taste of shichimi used in Kyoto's traditional restaurants. While shichimi is typically red in color nationwide, in the Kyoto area, a slightly greenish shichimi containing sansho pepper is commonly used. One renowned shop in Kyoto known for their shichimi is located near Kiyomizu Temple. Shichimi is a Japanese mixed spice made primarily from chili peppers and various other spices and herbs, with the specific ingredients and ratios varying between different shops. At this shop, called "Shichimiya Honpo," their shichimi is made from chili peppers, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, sansho pepper, seaweed, shiso leaves, and hemp seeds, and is used in dishes like simmered dishes, udon, and soba noodles. Personally, when dining in Kyoto, I often sprinkle this shichimi on my dishes, particularly finding it to complement well with the light soy sauce flavor and subtle dashi broth commonly found in Kansai-style udon and soba. If you're considering food items that can be kept for a while as souvenirs, you may find this shichimi a good option to consider.

Located at the corner where San'neizaka turns into Kiyomizuzaka along the approach to Kiyomizu Temple, this long-established condiment shop has been in business for about 360 years since the Edo period. On the day of the visit, the approach was bustling with autumn leaves and visitors, and the shop was equally busy. Visitors were offered a taste of dashi with shichimi togarashi, which blended well and had a very good flavor. After trying it, it was hard not to make a purchase. The items available for purchase were a large bag of shichimi togarashi (25g) for 540 yen and a small bag of spicy shichimi togarashi (15g) with a container for 540 yen. Both had a strong aroma of sansho pepper and a good overall balance, with the spicy version enhancing the heat of the red chili pepper. It was later discovered that the shop also sold something called "obanzai no moto," a base for side dishes. It was decided to definitely purchase this on the next visit. (Subsequently purchased for 1080 yen at Takashimaya in Osaka)

The order is a bit mixed up, but I will post a review of Nanamiya Honpo, a well-known shop. It is located at the intersection of the road to Kiyomizu Temple and Sannenzaka, famous for its shichimi, ichimi, and sansho. However, I always purchase the "obanzai no moto" here. It is a tea bag filled with dashi broth, similar to barley tea, and it was delicious in udon, soups, and oden. The leftover dashi can be used to make yakisoba or fried rice, which is also tasty. I was considering buying sansho this time, but ended up buying it again after sampling it at the store (laughs). It will definitely be a hit at home as well. When I added sansho and drank it at the store, the flavor changed and it was delicious, so I want to try it at home too. Thank you for the meal.

I would like to introduce the review of "Obanzai no Moto" from "Shichimiya Honpo," famous for its shichimi togarashi, located on the approach to Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. This is a review of the product that allows you to easily make delicious dashi at home. The "Obanzai no Moto" from "Shichimiya Honpo" (large size) that we have been using for years costs 2160 yen. As mentioned in my previous review, this is a teabag-style household dashi that granulates bonito flakes, mackerel flakes, dashi kombu, and shiitake mushrooms to create a very good Kyoto dashi. Simply boil water in a pot, turn off the heat, place one teabag in the pot, wait for 5 minutes, and a delicious dashi is ready. This magical teabag allows you to easily make authentic tasting dashi for your dishes. It has received high praise among my partner's group of mom friends. It is definitely a convenient dashi stock for busy women. It is also handy for making hot pot broth or ozoni broth. Additionally, after using the teabag, do not throw it away. Tear open the bag, mix the granules inside with yakisoba or yakisudon, and the dish will have a different depth of flavor, enhancing its deliciousness. I purchased the large size of "Obanzai no Moto" available at Seibu Department Store in Tokyo and Coredo Nihonbashi. "Thank you for the meal."

One of the famous spots in Kyoto is Kiyomizu Temple, and on the way to the temple is Shichimiya Honten. As a fan of spicy food, I couldn't resist stopping by (laughs). However, I'm not really interested in shichimi (seven spice blend). When I looked at the products closely, I found out they have a spicy ichimi (single spice). I had to buy it. It comes in a small bag with a plastic container for 540 yen. What caught my attention was that there was too much chili pepper for the plastic container to hold (laughs). This was a bit of a problem. However, when I tried it, I found it to be spicier than the usual store-bought ones. It's not too spicy, so personally, I think it's just right. Pretty good.

Nanami-ya Honpo is famous for its shichimi spice. Whenever I visit Kiyomizu Temple, I always buy their nori flavored with sansho pepper instead of shichimi. It's delicious and makes a perfect snack with sake. They sell it in a can with 80 sheets. I recommend it to many people and most of them say it's tasty. However, this time I felt that the flavor of sansho pepper was a bit weaker compared to before. I feel like the sansho flavor used to be stronger in the past. Am I imagining things?

Located at the corner where Kiyomizu-zaka and Sannen-zaka intersect, this Seven Spice Togarashi shop is a longstanding establishment with over 350 years of history. The charming building is a landmark in this area. Their signature product is, of course, the "Seven Spice Togarashi", known for its flavor more than its spiciness. However, my recommendation would be the "Seven Spice Candy"! The perfect balance of the spice of the seven spices and the sweetness of the candy makes it incredibly delicious. They also offer a variety of products such as "Fried Potatoes by the Seven Spice Family" and dressings. It's a shame that they don't accept credit cards.

Since I was a child, it was always on the table, but I didn't pay much attention to it. However, this time, the shichimi (seven spice) ran out and I couldn't sprinkle it on my pickled cabbage or tofu hot pot! I was really in trouble. I realized how important this seasoning is. This shichimi comes from Shichimiya Honpo, a Kyoto-based old-established store with a tradition of 360 years. The scent of the sansho pepper is truly wonderful. Shichimi Togarashi (seven spice chili pepper) relies on its flavor. That's their commitment. The combination of chili pepper, sansho pepper, black sesame, white sesame, perilla, nori seaweed, and hemp seeds creates a refreshing aroma unique to shichimi togarashi. Balance is key. I rushed to buy this shichimi at Daimaru. - Shichimi big bag 25g 540x2 1080 yen. It really hit the spot. (laughs)

Established during the Eiroku era. A long-established shop with a history of 360 years. I had lunch at Okutan Shimizu store on a clear autumn day before going to Kiyomizu-dera. The shichimi (seven spice) that came with the yudofu was from this shop, Okutan, located nearby! The scent of sansho pepper was very nice, so I came to buy it. When I told the staff that I came to buy it because it smelled good at Okutan, they were very pleased! Shichimi Togarashi (seven spice) small pack 15g for 432 yen. It has a very nice scent of sansho pepper. According to the explanation from the staff, the feature of this shichimi is that it has a slightly higher proportion of sansho pepper. That's why it has such a refreshing and nice scent. Highly recommended for those who like the scent of sansho pepper. It was quite delicious without the scent being too overpowering. This year's autumn leaves were earlier than usual, and the autumn leaves at Kiyomizu-dera were almost at the end, but there were many people. Sannenzaka and Kiyomizu-dera were crowded with many people.