Anyone who has been to Kyoto will have seen Yatsuhashi being sold in all the tourist shops. Yatsuhashi is a Japanese biscuit invented in Kyoto made from rice flour, sugar and cinnamon. The taste and texture is quite similar to senbei. When Yatsuhashi isn't baked it is very soft and chewy like mochi. This is called Nama Yatsuhashi.
Nama Yatsuhashi is what is used to make Otabe, another popular Kyoto souvenir. On Valentines Day it was our school trip and we went to a workshop to make Otabe. The workshop was on the second floor of the Otabe shop located on Shinmachi street.
Otabe is basically a square of Nama Yatsuhashi with your chosen flavoring inside. Making them was really enjoyable and when we got to eat them at the end they were very delicious! I would definitely recommend this workshop to anyone coming to Kyoto, it takes less than one hour to make (and eat) a traditional Japanese sweet. Much more personal than buying them from one of the many tourist shops.
Website: http://www.otabe.co.jp/
Location: Shinmachi street
Price: Lessons run daily at ￥600 per person.
Time: The workshop is open from 10am to 2pm.
I would love to do something like this! It's fun to learn how to cook local foods!! Sounds yummy too!
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is fun to learn more about local foods. Plus, it was very yummy!
DeleteThese look delicious! I love Asian food, but I know next to nothing about desserts in this part of the world, so this was really interesting to me! :) And a cooking class sounds like fun - I would love to take one one day! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you found it interesting, it was the first time I have taken a cooking class like this and it was so much fun :) I want to try another one now!
DeleteThis looks so fun! I have never tried these but am such a sucker for anything sweet
ReplyDeleteI am the same, I have such a sweet tooth!
DeleteThis is an amazing recommendation! I'd do something like this in a heart beat! x
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am so glad I had the opportunity to go!
DeleteThis looks so fun! Anything sweet is right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun! I am the same, I love anything sweet!
DeleteThose look seriously yummy! When we were in Bali, we made coconut stuffed crepes. It's definitely not my traditional idea of desert, which is always super sweet and full of chocolate, but I find taste testing other country's deserts to be one of my favorite parts of traveling!
ReplyDeleteSame here, I love trying new desserts when I travel and Japan has a great selection to choose from!
DeleteWow- I'm so impressed you made these! When we were in Kyoto we bought this box of sweets- I don't know what they were called, but they were delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Japan does have lots of very nice sweets and desserts!
Deleteyum! thanks for sharing! Xo
ReplyDeletethe well-traveled wife ♥
Very yummy!
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