Tea Ceremony Koto/ Kimono & Tea ceremony A1 minute walk from Golden Pavilion. Authentic Tea Ceremony in Kyoto.

Japanese Winter sweet “A Shogoin Turnip”

Japanese sweets in winter

When we say “turnips” in Kyoto, it often means a Shogoin turnip, which is famous as the ingredient of tasty Japanese pickles called “Senmai zuke”.

In teaceremony, we often have sweets shaped a turnip in winter. They are so pretty!

These turnips were made by Senbon Tamajuken, a traditional sweets shop near Tea Ceremony Koto.

 


 

Vegetable turnips

 

shogoin turnips

Shogoin is the name of the place in Kyoto.
Shogoin turnips are certificated as the traditional Kyoto vegetable.
The harvest time starts from the end of autumn, and be processed into tasty pickles.
They are bigger, smoother and whiter than usual turnips.

In Edo period (1716-1736), one of the farmer families in Shogoin area brought seeds of turnips from Shiga prefecture, next to Kyoto.
After the selective improvements, Shogoin turnip has perfected.

Now, the main fields are in Shino-cho in Kameoka and Hiyoshi-cho Nantanshi in Kyoto prefecture.

 

http://foodslink.jp/syokuzaihyakka/syun/vegitable/Kabu-ookabu.htm

http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/nantan/no-nokai/1261463817324.html

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Sweets shaped a turnip

 

Japanese sweets

In Tea Ceremony Koto, I serve seasonal fresh sweets for the private plans or plans for over 5 adults.

These turnips are also for that plan.

The ingredient of the white dough is Japanese yam.
The small bean ball is covered with the moist and smooth white dough.

It is said that Joyo is the most simple fresh sweets from which we can feel the taste or characters of  the sweets shops. 
It was really good and my guests also liked them so much!

You can eat them by hands while we usually use small knife to eat others kinds of fresh sweets.

 




 

Senbon Tamajuken

 

Senbon Tamajuken

They are making the original sweets limited in Kinkakuji temple or Ginkakuji temple etc.

Urasenke, one of the biggest tea schools in Japan use sweets made by Senbon Tamajuken for the beginner’s classes held in hotels in Kyoto, and I often hear their name in big tea ceremony in Kyoto.
Maybe people leaning tea ceremony in Kyoto know this sweets shop for sure.

“Kinkaku” sold only in Kinkakuji temple is the sweets a bean ball is wrapped with Japanese special sugar.
In the main store in Senbon Imadegawa, we can buy the similar sweets called “cherry blossoms”, “green maple leaves”, “Leaf peeping”, and “plum flowers”.
The designs on the top changed according to the seasons.
All of them are beautiful!

green maple leaves

One day I had visited to buy some sweets in the morning,
I have found a big taxi in front of Senbon Tamajuken.
I’ve heard they were the guests of Mitsukoshi, a big department store from Sapporo, north of Japan.

It will be good souvenir because they are making sweets which last long also.

inside of Senbon Tamajuken

 Senbon Tamajuken

〒602-8474 96 Imadegawa Agaru Senbon- dori Kamigyo-ku Kyoto

Regular holiday: Wednesdays

8:30~18:00

Tel 075-461-0796

Top