Visited 16.10.2016 (Sun)
Essential. After visiting Zenkoji, as it was still too early to have dinner, we decided to rest our legs in one of the cafes in the vicinity. Came to Yokomachi Cafe 横町カフェ, a cafe attached to Yawataya Isogorou Main Shop 八幡屋礒五郎 本店. Wataya Isogorou is well known for their shichimi togarashi 七味唐からし, a spice mixture which is an important condiment in every Japanese household. Personally, I like a dash of shichimi togarashi in my bowl of udon to add a tint of spiciness and enhance the flavours of the soup. The main ingredients of Wataya Isogorou's shichimi togarashi are chili pepper 唐辛子, dried citrus peel 陳皮, seasame seed 胡麻, hemp seed 麻種 (otane), shiso 紫蘇, Japanese pepper 山椒 (sansho) and ginger 生姜, and the ingredients may differ from places to places. In the past, there was an old saying that buying a can of their brand's shichimi togarashi served as a proof that one has visited Zenkoji. Till today, Wataya Isogorou's spice mixtures are popular items and souvenirs that travellers will bring back home with after visiting Zenkoji.
Yawataya Isogorou has been around since 1736, when the founder first started selling shichimi togarashi around Zenkoji. The main shop was established in 1952 (Showa 27) and underwent renovation in 2008 (Heisei 20). The shop looked like a kura (traditional Japanese style warehouse) and is easily identifiable by two gigantic chilies hung on both sides of its main entrance. Was surprised to see quite a number of people shopping inside the shop and this goes to show how popular their products were. Walked through the small crowd to come to Yokomachi Cafe, which is located behind the shop. In contrast to the shop's traditional exterior, the cafe took on a modern and chic design. On every table, there are a total of eight different cans of spice mixtures which patrons can test on their food to determine which best suit their taste.
Spice macarons. Apart from desserts and drinks, Yokomachi Cafe also serves several types of curries, such as beef curry, butter chicken curry and vegetable curry, which are suitable for a lunch appetite. We ordered two sets of desserts to share, accompanied with coffee and tea. Both desserts were seasonal items introduced during autumn - crispy and fragrant chocolate chip scones which were baked with honey and eaten together with cream, chocolate sauce and yuzu powder (650 yen), and a set of miso flavoured cakes and macarons made from sweet potatoes and sesame (480 yen). In fact, macarons is one of their signature items and the flavours of these macrons are definitely not the typical ones we get from our usual sweets and confectionery shops. Was surprised to find out that the flavours included the seven ingredients of shichimi togarashi, such as chili pepper, ginger and sansho. The shells of the macarons are made from almond powder and meringue, with butter cream sandwiched between the shells. Was not adventurous enough to try out the spice macarons at that point of time and went for the safer option (sweet potatoes). Have made a mental note to try them the next time I visit Nagano again.
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Yawataya Isogorou Honten 八幡屋礒五郎 本店, Yokomachi Cafe 横町カフェ
長野県長野市横町86-1
Opening hours: 1000 - 1900 hrs (last order at 1830 hrs)
Essential. After visiting Zenkoji, as it was still too early to have dinner, we decided to rest our legs in one of the cafes in the vicinity. Came to Yokomachi Cafe 横町カフェ, a cafe attached to Yawataya Isogorou Main Shop 八幡屋礒五郎 本店. Wataya Isogorou is well known for their shichimi togarashi 七味唐からし, a spice mixture which is an important condiment in every Japanese household. Personally, I like a dash of shichimi togarashi in my bowl of udon to add a tint of spiciness and enhance the flavours of the soup. The main ingredients of Wataya Isogorou's shichimi togarashi are chili pepper 唐辛子, dried citrus peel 陳皮, seasame seed 胡麻, hemp seed 麻種 (otane), shiso 紫蘇, Japanese pepper 山椒 (sansho) and ginger 生姜, and the ingredients may differ from places to places. In the past, there was an old saying that buying a can of their brand's shichimi togarashi served as a proof that one has visited Zenkoji. Till today, Wataya Isogorou's spice mixtures are popular items and souvenirs that travellers will bring back home with after visiting Zenkoji.
Yawataya Isogorou has been around since 1736, when the founder first started selling shichimi togarashi around Zenkoji. The main shop was established in 1952 (Showa 27) and underwent renovation in 2008 (Heisei 20). The shop looked like a kura (traditional Japanese style warehouse) and is easily identifiable by two gigantic chilies hung on both sides of its main entrance. Was surprised to see quite a number of people shopping inside the shop and this goes to show how popular their products were. Walked through the small crowd to come to Yokomachi Cafe, which is located behind the shop. In contrast to the shop's traditional exterior, the cafe took on a modern and chic design. On every table, there are a total of eight different cans of spice mixtures which patrons can test on their food to determine which best suit their taste.
Spice macarons. Apart from desserts and drinks, Yokomachi Cafe also serves several types of curries, such as beef curry, butter chicken curry and vegetable curry, which are suitable for a lunch appetite. We ordered two sets of desserts to share, accompanied with coffee and tea. Both desserts were seasonal items introduced during autumn - crispy and fragrant chocolate chip scones which were baked with honey and eaten together with cream, chocolate sauce and yuzu powder (650 yen), and a set of miso flavoured cakes and macarons made from sweet potatoes and sesame (480 yen). In fact, macarons is one of their signature items and the flavours of these macrons are definitely not the typical ones we get from our usual sweets and confectionery shops. Was surprised to find out that the flavours included the seven ingredients of shichimi togarashi, such as chili pepper, ginger and sansho. The shells of the macarons are made from almond powder and meringue, with butter cream sandwiched between the shells. Was not adventurous enough to try out the spice macarons at that point of time and went for the safer option (sweet potatoes). Have made a mental note to try them the next time I visit Nagano again.
======
Yawataya Isogorou Honten 八幡屋礒五郎 本店, Yokomachi Cafe 横町カフェ
長野県長野市横町86-1
Opening hours: 1000 - 1900 hrs (last order at 1830 hrs)
http://yawataya.co.jp/yokomachi-cafe/
How to get there?
(1) By bus. Board any bus from Nagano Station Zenkoji Exit 長野駅善光寺口 Bus Terminal Platform 1 and alight at Zenkoji Iriguchi 善光寺入口.
How to get there?
(1) By bus. Board any bus from Nagano Station Zenkoji Exit 長野駅善光寺口 Bus Terminal Platform 1 and alight at Zenkoji Iriguchi 善光寺入口.
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