Ichimonjiya Wasuke (Ichiwa), at the east gate of Imamiya Shrine, holds the Guinness World Records title "Oldest sweet shop", with a founding traditionally dated to about 1000 CE and the founding family still running it. It serves one item: aburi-mochi.
Why it's unique
Guinness lists Ichiwa as the oldest sweet shop in the world. The founding year of about 1000 CE is tradition, so it is attributed rather than asserted, but the title is a Guinness one.
The local twist is across the lane: Kazariya, directly opposite, sells the same dish and is said to have split from Ichiwa in 1637. Residents have loyalties, and comparing the two is the local sport.
Before you go
There is one item. Thumb-sized mochi on bamboo skewers are dusted in kinako, grilled over charcoal at the shopfront to order, and drowned in sweet white-miso sauce, 11 skewers a plate. Kazariya, directly opposite, sells the same dish and is said to have split from Ichiwa in 1637; residents have loyalties (Ichiwa's sauce is the lighter), and comparing them is the local sport.
The dish began as an offering against epidemic, so eat it after the shrine. Best day: Imamiya's Yasurai Matsuri, second Sunday of April, one of Kyoto's three strange festivals. Expect a 40 minute queue at peak. ¥600 a plate; 10:00 to 17:00. Closed Wednesdays (if the 1st, 15th or a holiday falls on a Wednesday it closes the Thursday) and 16 to 31 December.
