Waguri Senmon Saori

This Japanese chestnut specialty shop opened in 2019 along Kamo River in Kiyamachi/Kyoto. Among the many prized Japanese chestnuts, the sweets at Saori are made with heaps of “Tanba”, a specifically high-end variety of chestnut. Their hottest menu item is the super silky, high-end Tanba Chestnut mont blanc (3,080yen), made with 1-mm thin, delicately woven spirals of Japanese chestnut. It’s made solely with rare Tanba chestnuts and only 100 orders per day. Rich chestnut flavor meets round and creamy goodness and a lightly crunchy merengue inside to finish it all off.

The menu has a line up of other popular dishes, including the “Japanese Chestnut and Seasonal Fruits Parfait” (2,970yen), filled with plenty of seasonal fruit and Japanese chestnut, Kuriko-mochi (1,980yen), made with shiratama, Japanese chestnut cream and chestnut powder. Starting at 11am there’s even a takeout option, the 1-mm Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc Softserve Ice cream served in an adorable cup (starting at 1,200yen).

The shop itself was a Machiya house inn and lodging in a past life, but is now revamped in its Kiyamachi-dori location along with the other veteran eateries and shops. On the first floor you’ll find an open kitchen where you can watch the final touches go on the freshly-made, gorgeous sweets. This spot is especially popular so it’s best to hurry up and grab a numbered ticket that they begin handing out in the morning.