One of the Takayama sweets in fall is Kuriyose. It is sweet bean past jelly with chestnut. It has light taste, so someone can have the whole. There are some wagashi(Japanese sweets) shops and each has original taste. It is enjoyable to find own favorite one. Hotel souvenir shop “Hida Bussankan” also sells Kuriyose from September every year. Today, we would like to introduce a shop “Tohoen”.

In November at 6:30pm, a wagashi shop Tohoen starts to make Kuriyose. Anko(sweet bean past jelly) and chestnut’s smell spreads through the shop. We can’t help being excited.

Seiro (steaming basket) and anko

The chef doesn’t make Kuriyose in daytime. Guests sometimes request to get fresh-made one, but they cannot. The reason why Kuriyose is cooled down over 8 hours after steaming to power the taste. That’s why the chef make it in the evening and leave it out overnight.

Steamed chestnuts

The steamed chestnuts have brilliant yellow. The chef peel astringent skin equals to 30 kg by their hands not machines every day. Most of the shop use sweetened boiled chestnuts but Tohoen uses fresh chestnuts to enjoy natural taste. He put lots of chestnuts, so chestnuts appear wherever it is cut.

Mixing anko and chestnuts

Lots of steamed chestnuts are put into anko. He mixes by his hands to feel chunky texture because there is a difference in hardness between each chestnut. Anko has been made in consideration of the balance with chestnuts such as the softness and sweetness.

Lots of chestnuts in anko/ It will be steamed for 2 hours.

Mixed anko with chestnuts are steamed in seiro (steaming basket). The chef puts anko into each seiro so that chestnuts spread evenly.

Left: Tohoen president Mr. Nakata Top right: kusamanju (steamed bun with mugwort) middle right:Neko(cat) manju above right:kuri-kinton(mashed sweet potato with chestnut)

He steams the seiro for 2 hours. The shop doesn’t have a secret recipe. He makes kuriyose with the changeable recipe suitable for the times and customers’ opinions. Neko manju was produced after he hold a lesson at elementary school. His characteristic leads this popularity.

Highly recommended sweet in fall is Kuriyose at Tohoen

Kuriyose is the most popular souvenir in Takayama. Tohoen has eat-in space to have a break. You can also buy it at Hida Bussankan at Takayama Green Hotel and use the delivery service.