Yamamotoya has made Sakura-mochi in their traditional way since the Edo period

On the Sumida-gawa river side of the Mukoujima area, there will be a lot of cherry blossoms.

This area has been a famous spot for viewing cherry blossoms in spring since the Edo period.

There is a small temple, called Cyomeiji, at the bottom of the river bank.

My favorite Japanese confectioner, called Yamamotoya, is next to Cyomeiji temple.

That confectioner is famous for their “Sakura-mochi”.

Sakura-mochi is a unique Japanese confectionery.

It is a rice cake filled with sweetened bean paste, and it is wrapped in some cherry leaves.

Sakura-mochi is said to have originated from that small confectioner.

Over 300 years ago, an employee of Cyomeiji temple developed Sakura-mochi, and he opened a small shop next to the temple to sell his Sakura-mochi.

His Sakura-mochi became very popular among the people in Edo, and it was called Cyomeiji after the temple next door.

His small shop was the predecessor of Yamamotoya.

The original Sakura-mochi tastes elegant.

Its red bean paste is light on sweetness, and it goes well with thin rice cakes.

The original Sakura-mochi rice cake has no color.

The greatest feature of original Sakura-mochi is the wrapping of three cherry leaves.

The cherry leaves had been pickled with salt, and they have a wonderful cherry blossom aroma.

But normally, a cherry leaf doesn’t smell.

The cherry leaf gives off a wonderful aroma because of fermentation.

That aroma is the identity of Sakura-mochi.

Sakura-mochi can be eaten with or without the leaf.

But if you eat the original Sakura-mochi, I would not recommend eating it with the leaf.

This is because, that leaf is hard. So you struggle to bite it off.

That is not suitable for food.

The cherry leaf is used as a flavoring at the end.

Yamamotoya only sells their Sakura-mochi all year round.

It shows their pride as the originator of Sakura-mochi.

They have made Sakura-mochi in their traditional way since the Edo period (over 300 years ago).

Their Sakura-mochi still exudes the atmosphere of the bygone days of the Edo period.

I’m glad that a flavor from the old days is still being continued even now.

The cherry blossom season brings crowds of people to Mukoujima, and a long queue is winding its way to this small confectioner.

But it’s relatively slow except for that season.