P2 Shirakawa River – Kiss Shop

The road skirting the Shirakawa River is not only beautiful but also conceals a delightful sweet shop.

Shirakawa River

The Shirakawa river is a small stream that flows from a hill of Kyoto, through Gion, and into the Kamo River. Shirakawa means “white river” in Japanese, thanks to the pure white sand and pebbles that sparkle on its bottom. They are the main ingredients for the amazing Zen rock gardens in Kyoto’s temples. Without them, Kyoto might have become a bit less zen and more worldly.

We strolled on the small cobblestone path along the river. On the other side, two-story wooden houses nestled on mossy rocky banks. Now and then, a pair of slender cherry tree branches, laden with buds, reached out and were mirrored on the water. It was mid-March, and the sakura (cherry flowers) were about to bloom. I fancifully imagined a scene of white and pink flower clusters floating like clouds on the blue river. Here and there, a few willows swayed as if they were waving.

At times, a bridge spans the river. Perhaps one Master bridge is enough, so they have made them wider and added sturdy railings. The bridges usually lead to the entrance of a restaurant or cafe on the other side of the river. Through the glass doors, customers sip coffee and enjoy the view. I heard that these places come alive at night, with bright lights shining until dawn. A stark contrast to the tranquil scenery of the day.

Kiss and Kinako 

As much as I love the scenery, I can’t wait to share with you something mouthwatering. After crossing the Master bridge, we walked a bit, and right at the corner was Kisshokaryo Kyoto ice cream shop. That’s a mouthful, so let’s just call it Kiss. I felt that after my legs had bravely conquered the Chion-in challenge, they deserved a better reward than the soda I got from the vending machine. And that’s how we ended up at Kiss.

I stepped into the ground floor and my eyes popped out of my head. There were cakes, rolls, and mochi (those squishy Japanese balls of yumminess) in every color and flavor imaginable. White and pink like cherry blossoms, green like matcha tea, yellow like soybeans, brown like chocolate. And that’s not all. They had candy, pudding and soy powder in six flavors too. You could take them home in pretty boxes or eat them right there. 

If you want ice cream, tea or coffee, you should go upstairs. There were only a few tables there, so you might have to wait in line. But we got lucky and snagged a seat right away.

Kiss is not just a shop, it’s a legend. It all started in the 18th century, when the Kitagawa family set up a confectionery next to the Imperial villa in Kyoto. In 1934, the 13th heir Tokujiro Kitagawa decided to focus on roasted soybeans and opened Keikado shop. In 2015, the family took it to the next level and opened Kiss, a shop dedicated to kinako (roasted soybean flour).

The Japanese love soybeans like no other. And roasted soybean flour is their secret weapon for making delicious desserts. Kinako can go into mochi, cookies, candy, ice cream and more. The shop claims that they only use the best soybeans from the best places, and that they are all natural and roasted to perfection. “Seeing is believing, but tasting is the truth”, I thought as I salivated over their goodies.

We started with cakes and tea. I went for the cherry blossom theme and my friend picked matcha and chocolate. The cake rolls were soft, fluffy and nutty. The magic lay in the delicate balance between cherry blossom or matcha and chocolate and the roasted soybean flavor. The kinako sensation enhanced the floral aroma of cherry blossoms, the earthy bite of matcha and the decadent richness of chocolate. Amazing!

We finished our afternoon tea with parfait. We both went for the kinako parfait – the dish that put Kiss on the map. It came in a tall glass that looked like a trophy for the best dessert ever. Kinako powder sprinkled like golden dust on white whipped cream. Tea jelly and soy milk jelly introduced some wobble (the jelly was made from bracken starch and called warabimochi in Japanese). Crunchy caramelized soybeans offered some crunch. Vanilla ice cream delivered the creaminess. 

Except for the tea jelly, the other five ingredients were related to roasted soybeans. Kiss had cleverly employed different nuances of textures, flavors and tastes of soybeans to create this masterpiece.

It was time to hit the road. We dragged ourselves away from Kiss, and I felt a pang in my heart. I knew I had to come back soon!

mlefood

In the next episode, we will embark on a captivating journey to explore the interplay of art, culture, and belief that grace the banks of the Shirakawa River.