This was my first time trying Okinawa Nanpudo’s Yukishio Chinsukou. At first, I was curious about how it differed from regular Okinawan chinsuko, and after actually trying it, I thought the texture was really unique!
It has a light, crumbly texture at first, then slowly melts in your mouth as you chew, with a subtle snow salt aroma. The sweet and salty flavor is easy to enjoy and isn’t just simply sweet.
Kyoto Porta
Opened about 40 years ago as Kyoto's first underground shopping center, "Kyoto Ekimae Underground Shopping Center Porta" and "Kyoto Station Building Specialty Store Street The Cube" merged in 2023. It has been reborn as a large-scale shopping mall suitable for the gateway to the international tourist city of Kyoto.
There are many different kinds of stores throughout the underground shopping area, from clothing and sundries to Kyoto specialty souvenirs. It’s easy to spend quite a while browsing around. It’s also comfortable to shop here on rainy or colder days since you don’t have to keep walking outdoors.
I stopped by Porta on this trip to Kyoto and found it very convenient and fun to explore!
GariGarikun Soda
Japan’s classic ice treat, GariGarikun Soda, is a simple yet exceptionally well-crafted frozen treat made with soda-flavored ice on the outside and crunchy shaved ice on the inside. Its defining feature is this two-layer structure, with outer ice and inner shaved ice, allowing you to enjoy two different textures in one bar. Along with its refreshing soda flavor, it is also a long-selling product that has been loved by a wide range of generations, from children to adults, for many years.
Japan’s summer is perfect for a GariGarikun Soda! Its blue appearance looks super refreshing, and when you bite into it, the crisp soda flavor and icy texture instantly cool you down.
It tastes sweet with a subtle soda aroma, and the ice pop itself has a fine shaved-ice texture. Having one in hot weather really cools you down completely!
Gion Tsujiri "Tsujiri no Sato"
Founded in 1860 as a manufacturer and seller of Uji tea, Gion Tsujiri is the spot for plumes of rich aroma and the taste of tea in Kyoto, a historic tea-producing region, for over 160 years. Recent years at the tea house have seen an all new kind of buzz thanks to the launch of a widened range of matcha sweets. For sweet and tasty souvenirs, look no further than this go-to brand.
Of course, you can’t miss matcha sweets in Kyoto. This time I tried Gion Tsujiri’s Tsujiri no Sato, and I was immediately drawn in by the rich matcha aroma. The matcha flavor is really noticeable!
The cookie has a firm, crisp texture, and the matcha flavor in the center is also very rich. It has a subtle tea aroma and a slightly bittersweet taste, so it isn’t just simply sweet. The more you eat, the more you notice the matcha aroma.
