Ichiwa Rice Cakes

Ichiwa Aburi-Mochi

Outside of the Imamiya Shrine, there are Japanese sweets shops which specialize in aburi-mochi. Aburi-mochi is a kind of rice cake sweet served on a bamboo skewer. The rice cakes are coated with a roasted soybean powder and grilled over charcoal fire. The thumb-sized pieces are then basted with a sweet white soybean sauce.

One of these establishments is famous as the oldest Japanese sweets shop in business. It has been open since the Heian-era (794 A.D.). Long ago, during the Onin War (1467-1477) when people suffered from hunger, they were treated to aburi-mochi outside of the Imamiya Shrine, thus beginning its association with the sweet snack. Kazariya has a history of around 600 years, while Ichiwa has been open for nearly 1000 years. 

In addition, the bamboo stick upon which the aburi-mochi is served is dedicated to the god of the Imamiya Shrine. As a result, it is said that if you eat aburi-mochi you can avoid illness, and the aburi-mochi itself can protect people against evils.