Hyperlocal Tokyo

This traditional Japanese dish from Tokyo's Ningyocho district is a curious combination of yellow frozen pudding, white sugar water, salty red beans, and another type of bean. The flavor is quite unusual, with the beans being particularly salty. The sweet, salty, and slightly sour texture might be difficult for foreigners to adjust to. My son, who loves Japanese food, found this dish quite unpalatable and felt like vomiting. The shop itself seems popular and the staff are very friendly. A single serving of this Japanese pudding with syrup costs over 900 yen.

I went in to buy a pudding, but only saw boxes with lots of them. I was thinking, 'I just want a little bit,' when the staff said, 'We also have individual ones.' It was like they read my mind! You can buy them individually. It's a rich, firm pudding with a strong sweetness. The eggs were rich. This time I just bought one to try, but next time I'll buy a box with lots for souvenirs.

In the late afternoon, close to closing time, the red rice and pudding I was hoping for are often sold out. I was lucky that day and was able to get the last red rice. The pudding also comes in a set of six, but you can buy just one. The expiration date is two days later, and the ingredients are simple: "eggs, sugar, caramel, and milk." It says "wind chime" and then "pudding"... I see. Two puddings, red rice, and chestnut bean paste for 2700 yen. The red rice was delicious, soft and chewy, with just the right amount of moisture and small azuki beans. The pudding and chestnut bean paste also had a nostalgic, natural flavor that was comforting, a classic, unpretentious taste. The packaging and customer service were also excellent.

They were selling individual servings of pudding. I think it was a little over 300 yen. I forgot. The pudding here is surprisingly yellow. Looking at the package, it doesn't contain any additives. It's just eggs. They told me, "It's fresh out of the oven, so it's still warm. Please let it cool before eating." When I ate it at home, it wasn't a smooth pudding. It had a firm texture, like it was set with gelatin. It might be a matter of preference. It was subtly sweet and the caramel was delicious. I was satisfied with the taste.

On our way back from a prayer for a safe delivery, my husband, a big fan of Japanese sweets, spotted a flag advertising 'Ohagi' (sweet rice cakes) and we stopped by. When we entered the shop, we were disappointed to see a sign saying 'Ohagi sold out.' But then the owner came out and said, 'I just made some fresh ones!' We were so lucky to be able to buy some. They have a clever play on words, calling their pudding 'Furin' (wind chime) - apparently, it's quite famous. We also bought some 'Furin' pudding anmitsu (a dessert with red bean paste, fruits, and agar-agar jelly) and mizu-yokan (water jelly with red bean paste). We ate them that night and were blown away by how delicious the pudding was! The ohagi had a generous amount of red bean paste and was also very tasty. The mizu-yokan was practically a drink, it melted in my mouth so quickly! I'm completely hooked and can't wait to go back for more!