[Kuri Sekihan from Narumi Mochi Honten]

It is October before we know it. It is finally getting cooler, but I wonder if everyone is enjoying chestnuts in their “chestnut activities.” The other day, I went to the “Narumi Mochi Honten” on Horikawa-dori in Kyoto, and found the place very crowded with people who came to buy “Kuri Sekihan (chestnut red bean rice,” a delicacy of the fall season.

Since its establishment as a rice cake shop in 1875, Narumi Mochi Honten has been a purveyor to the Kyoto merchants, making products that match the culture and seasons of Kyoto, and has passed on its carefully selected ingredients and handmade techniques to the present day. During this season when autumn arrives from Tanba, “Narumi's Kuri Sekihan” is sold for a limited time only. This sekihan with chestnuts was born from the inspiration of Rikitaro Narumi, the third generation of the family, and this September marks the 100th anniversary since it was first sold in Kyoto in 1924.

The chestnuts, the star of the dish, are large Tanba chestnuts, the adzuki beans are the highest quality Tanba Dainagon, the glistening glutinous rice is Hiyokumochi from Saga Prefecture, and the water is from Kyoto's wells. To bring out the flavor of the chestnuts, the astringent skin of the chestnuts is carefully peeled off one by one by hand, leaving a little bit of the skin on the chestnut. In addition, since chestnuts become tougher and less flavorful as the season goes on, we value the concept of “season”, which is fading away, and continue to offer our products only during the fall season. Narumi's carefully selected ingredients, time-consuming manufacturing process, and seasonal concept have all remained unchanged as the essence of Narumi's chestnut sekihan.

On a clear autumn day, I cycled along Horikawa Dori with a pleasant breeze and arrived at the main Narumi rice cake store, where I saw a signboard with a realistic chestnut picture and the words “Honke Narumi's Kuri Sekihan has started” written in a brush stroke on the eaves of the building. When I entered the store with a happy feeling, I found a curtain inside the store that also read “Autumn Taste: Narumi's Kuri Sekihan,” The showcase was lined with a variety of chestnut sweets, and people came to the store in turn to taste the Kuri Sekihan. Seeing people coming to the store for the seasonal delicacies and the joy of autumn, one cannot help but feel that this scene has always been here, and may it always be here.

Kuri Sekihan is freshly steamed and packed on the spot, whether you order by the bowlful or by the kilo. It is delivered to you in a packet, and it is warm to the touch. The showcase was a sight to behold, and I ended up buying Kuri Mochi, Kuri Yokan (sweet bean jelly), and Kuri Mizumizuki (sweet bean jelly without sugar). All of them were reasonably priced, and it was easy to imagine that this store has been loved by the people of Kyoto in their daily lives. When I peeled off the wrapper of the cute chestnut sekihan, I was surprised to find chestnuts in a very large size. The mochi rice is glutinous, and the chestnuts are so sweet and chewy, the strong flavors of the ingredients are preserved. I took the sweets home and enjoyed them with matcha green tea.

The Shimodachiuri main store is a five-minute walk from the Kyoto Gyoen. Our Imadegawa showroom is located up along Horikawa Dori. It is a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride. Only at the main store, there is an eat-in space where you can enjoy freshly made products, so be sure to visit during your autumn outing to savor the season.

Imadegawa Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/imadegawa.html
Narumi Mochi Honten
https://www.narumi-mochi.jp/
Narumi’s Kuri Sekihan 100th Anniversary Site
https://kurisekihan100th.narumi-mochi.jp/