Kyoto is of course wonderful during the cherry blossom and foliage seasons, but visiting in the summer is also wonderful. The greenery in the gardens of temples, the chirping of cicadas on quiet paths, the sound of bells ringing in the gentle breeze......oh, how I wish I could go to Kyoto.

Have you heard of "Anpone" from Kyoto Gion Anon (Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City), a souvenir that is rapidly gaining popularity in Kyoto? It is a snack with as much "bean paste" as you like sandwiched in between the monaka skin.

Kyoto Gion Anon "Anpone

Make your own "Anpone

Anpone is a box containing a jar of sweet bean paste, homemade mascarpone cheese cream, and monaka skin. The bean paste is made from 100% adzuki beans produced in Tokachi, Hokkaido. The monaka is made from glutinous rice produced in Shiga Prefecture.


The monaka skin is sandwiched between the bean paste and cheese cream in the balance of your choice.




The savory monaka skin is slightly thick and crispy when you bite into it! The delicate texture is elegant.

The cheese cream is soft and fluffy, a bit like cottage cheese. When you put it in your mouth, it melts smoothly and smoothly, and its richness and slight sourness spreads. The bean paste on the other hand is slightly salty and has a refreshing sweetness. The marriage of the cheese cream and red bean paste melting moistly together at the same time is superb!

Seasonal "Matcha Anpone

Also available now is a seasonal flavor called "Matcha Anpone" (green tea bean paste). Instead of granulated sweet bean paste, it contains "matcha-an" (powdered green tea bean paste). The matcha bean paste is so delicious that matcha lovers should definitely try this one!




The thick, loose matcha bean paste is so rich in matcha that it coarsens the tongue! The aroma and bitterness are amazing. It is as if a large amount of tea leaves were roughly scraped and bottled as is. Even if you eat it with a generous layer of cheese, your mouth will be dominated by the matcha.


After the matcha, the sourness and richness of the cheese follows softly. The combination of Japanese and Western flavors of matcha and mascarpone resonates with each other as if it had been decided from the beginning that they would be combined.


The Matcha Anpone will be on sale until the end of August, so be sure to pick one up when you visit Kyoto in the summer. Prices range from 1,500 yen for a pack of five Anpone and 1,600 yen for a pack of five Matcha Anpone, both excluding tax.

The store is also available online, so if you are not planning to visit Kyoto but would still like to try it, you can use this store.