Otabe (Nama Yatsuhashi with Sweet Red Bean Paste)

Otabe is a Kyoto confection made by wrapping homemade chunky sweet red bean paste in soft, chewy nama yatsuhashi dough. Since its creation in 1966 (Showa 41), it has become just as much a Kyoto souvenir staple as the traditional hard-baked yatsuhashi senbei.

Carefully selected ingredients are a hallmark of Otabe. The dough is made from Koshihikari rice flour, specially cultivated in Kyoto and Fukui Prefectures. The key element—the red bean paste—is made from specially grown adzuki beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido, slowly cooked at Otabe’s own factory.

Two classic flavors stand out: Nikkin (cinnamon), with its simple, nostalgic taste, and Matcha, which pairs the fragrant green tea flavor with the sweet red bean paste. Beyond these, the lineup includes bite-sized Kotabe, seasonal limited editions, and new-texture treats like Fluffy Otabe.

Each piece comes individually wrapped, making it easy to share as a souvenir. At the Otabe Main Store in Kyoto and the Otabe Arashiyama shop, visitors can even join paid workshops to try making Otabe themselves.