有職菓子：2025年2月5日（水）

俵屋吉富（創業1755（宝暦5）年）の京菓子は実に美味しい。なかでも，七代目菓匠の石原留治郎氏が，相国寺の雲龍図から考案したという代表銘菓「雲龍」は京菓子職人の優れた技術の結晶と言っても良く，俵屋吉富の顔となっている。

　京都には有職菓子と呼ばれるものがある。有職故実に因んだ菓子のことを有職菓子といい，朝廷・公家の礼式や古典に詳しい家元が菓子司に教えて作らせてきた京菓子である。お茶の裏千家・表千家の家元がお茶会などで茶菓子として贔屓にされた有職菓子は今も数多く引き継がれている。

　京菓子や和菓子は国内外で大変人気が高い。今では，京都にやって来る国内旅行者や海外旅行者は観光やお土産の購入だけでなく，「コト」を体験するのが人気があるなかで，和菓子の手づくり体験や和菓子職人が目の前で生菓子を作るのを見るイベントへの参加が人気である。

　京都市の堀川今出川の交差点の角にある鶴屋𠮷信（創業1804（享和4）年）の菓遊茶屋では目の前で生菓子を職人が製作の実演を見せてくれる。四条堀川の交差点近くにある亀屋良長（創業1803（享和3）年）では京菓子の手づくり教室が開かれており，生菓子を作ることができる。東山区の豊国神社前にある甘春堂（創業1865（慶応元）年）でも，四季の変化や花鳥風月を表現した上生菓子（じょうなまがし）と，乾燥した和菓子である干菓子（ひがし）を京町家で職人と一緒に作る和菓子体験教室がある。

　見て良し，食べて良し，作って良し，ということだろうか。

Court Confectionery (Yusoku-gashi): Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Kyogashi (Kyoto-style sweets) from Tawaraya Yoshitomi, a confectionery founded in 1755 (Horeki 5), are truly exquisite. Among them, the signature sweet “Unryu”− designed by the seventh-generation master confectioner Tomejiro Ishihara, inspired by the Unryu (Cloud Dragon) painting at Shokoku-ji Temple− is considered a masterpiece of Kyoto confectionery craftsmanship and has become the face of Tawaraya Yoshitomi.

In Kyoto, there is a category of sweets known as yusoku-gashi. These are confections inspired by yusoku kojitsu (court customs and traditions), traditionally made by confectioners under the guidance of experts well-versed in the rituals and classical culture of the imperial court and aristocracy. Many of these sweets were favored by the Urasenke and Omotesenke schools of tea ceremony as wagashi (traditional sweets) for tea gatherings, and they continue to be passed down to this day.

Both Kyoto-style and Japanese sweets are highly popular both domestically and internationally. Today, visitors to Kyoto−both from Japan and abroad−are increasingly interested in experiential activities rather than just sightseeing or buying souvenirs. Among these, hands-on wagashi-making workshops and events where confectioners demonstrate the crafting of fresh sweets are especially popular.

For example, at Tsuruya Yoshinobu (founded in 1804, Kyowa 4), located at the Horikawa-Imadegawa intersection, skilled confectioners demonstrate the live creation of fresh sweets at their Kasho Chaya (Confectionery Tea House). Near the Shijyo-Horikawa intersection, Kameya Yoshinaga (founded in 1803, Kyowa 3) offers Kyogashi-making workshops, where participants can try their hand at crafting traditional sweets. Similarly, at Kanshundo (founded in 1865, Keio 1) in front of Toyokuni Shrine in Higashiyama, a wagashi-making experience is available, where participants can create both jyonamagashi (fresh sweets that reflect the beauty of the seasons) and higashi (dried sweets) inside a traditional Kyomachiya townhouse, guided by professional confectioners.

In Kyoto, wagashi are a delight to watch, to eat, and to make.