Barely a 5-minute walk from the Kajiwara residence, Ichiwa is one of Kyoto's oldest and most storied sweets shops. Dating back to the Heian period (794 - 1185 CE), Ichiwa specializes in a delicious Kyoto treat called aburimochi, or charcoal-grilled skewers of rice dough dipped in a sweet miso sauce. Otosan told me stories about how his grandfather would take him to this very shop when he was only in kindergarten and treat him to a set. Ichiwa is also famed for its tea, which is made from water drawn from what is purportedly one of Kyoto's most flavorful wells.

Needless to say, both the tea and aburimochi were incredibly delicious.