Among the six Umezono stores in Kyoto City, the retro and historical appearance of the Umezono Sanjo Teramachi Store is an eye-catching feature that makes people stop in their tracks as they walk by. Not only foreigners, but also Japanese people may feel excited before entering the store because of its atmosphere.

The nostalgic atmosphere of the machiya-style exterior, as well as the food samples on display, which are rarely seen in modern times, is another nostalgic aspect of Ume-en. The sample showcases are lined with Umeen's regular menu items such as Mitarashi dango and warabi mochi, as well as shiruko (sweet red bean soup) and zenzai (sweetened red bean soup). The lineup is also a good way to see at a glance which products are popular. In addition, one of the attractions of Ume-en is that it offers a menu that is exclusive to the Sanjo Teramachi branch.

The interior of the restaurant, which still retains the atmosphere of the time when it was founded, is tastefully designed as if you have stepped back in time. The interior, decorated with moody lamps with a faint light, further heightens the sense of elation of being in a historic space.

As you sit down on a comfortable sofa and flip through the menu, the first thing you notice is the hana dim sum, a limited menu item at Ama-no-chaya Ume-en Sanjyo Teramachi Branch. Hana dim sum is a gorgeous assortment of six kinds of sweet dishes, including a bouquet of red bean paste, Mitarashi dango, two kinds of warabi mochi (green tea and brown sugar), chestnut simmered in astringent skin, and green tea cookies.

The menu list, which includes other items such as Mitarashi dango, a specialty since the establishment of Umeen, and seasonal oshiruko (sweet red-bean soup) and zenzai (sweet red-bean soup), is full of attractive items, making it difficult to decide what to order. The fact that they offer seasonal items is another point that adds to the enjoyment of visiting.

Mitarashi dango and warabi mochi (rice cakes) are also available for takeout. It is also nice to be able to take home as souvenirs the ones you like after trying them in the store.

What I ordered was, of course, the flower dim sum, which is a limited menu item at the restaurant. The flower dim sum that was brought to us was so beautiful that we could not help but let out a sigh of admiration.
The Mitarashi dumplings are steaming hot, indicating that they are freshly made and served. The rice cakes are roasted to perfection, and the softness of the freshly made dumplings is irresistible. The sweet and spicy sauce, a secret recipe, is poured generously over the rice cake, and one bite is so delicious that one cannot help but smile.
An-no-Hanazou was invented by Aoi Nishikawa, the third generation owner of the store, to encourage the younger generation to enjoy anko (red bean paste) sweets. The bouquet of red bean paste wrapped in chewy dough and garnished with caramelized almonds is not only beautiful to the eye, but also combines Japanese and Western flavors in a new way.
Other innovations in temperature and flavor are also made: the astringent skin stewed with chestnuts retains the sweetness of chestnuts, the matcha cookie combines the natural bitterness of matcha with red bean paste to emphasize the harmony of astringency and sweetness, and two types of warabi mochi (matcha and brown sugar) are served cool and chilled.

As the world moves on, long-established stores with a long history are also undergoing changes. This store, which will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary, is no exception, and has taken on many new challenges, including a sweet shop, a café, and the sale of creative Japanese confections with Western elements.
Today, even traditional Japanese confectionery is required to change, but rather than simply changing, Umezono is an innovator in the world of Japanese confectionery, moving forward with a keen eye on what needs to change and what does not. I felt that the hana dim sum menu was a true reflection of their philosophy.