Yasokichi: Fresh Yoshino Kudzu Sweets in the Mountain Town
Taste freshly made kuzukiri and seasonal kudzu sweets from a Yoshino producer whose roots reach back to the mid-19th century.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Yasokichi: Fresh Yoshino Kudzu Sweets in the Mountain Town
Yasokichi is both a maker of Yoshino kudzu products and a small café in Yoshino's mountain settlement. Founded in 1851 according to the company, it says it still makes hon-kuzu using a natural process and sells kuzukiri, kuzuyu, dried sweets and other products. At its Yoshino Tennin-an shop, the signature Yoshino Tennin kuzukiri is made after an order is placed and served with black syrup. That made-to-order detail is important: the appeal is its fresh, smooth texture, not a packaged souvenir alone. The surrounding Yoshino hills also give the tea stop a place in a longer walk among temples, viewpoints and seasonal cherry groves.
Understand why Yoshino kudzu is processed slowly
The company traces its founding to 1851 and describes the Yoshino kudzu tradition through the region's mountain ascetics, who dug kudzu roots and processed their starch. Its account of hon-kuzu production begins with roots gathered in the cold season, which are crushed, washed repeatedly in cold water to remove impurities and bitter liquid, then dried naturally for about two months. The winter washing process is known as Yoshino-zarashi. This is the producer's own description of its method, not a claim that every product carrying the word 'kudzu' is made by the same process or contains 100 percent hon-kuzu.
Order the fresh kuzukiri called Yoshino Tennin
At the company's Yoshino Tennin-an café, the signature kuzukiri is prepared after an order rather than reheated from a finished plate. The shop describes it as made from its Yoshino hon-kuzu and served with black syrup, with a fresh accompanying sweet. The name refers to a local legend of a celestial maiden whose robe was as smooth as kudzu. Treat the story as a restaurant naming tradition, not a historical event. The operator does not publish a current café menu price in the pages reviewed; check the displayed menu and whether the dish is available that day.
See what the maker sells beyond the café
Yasokichi lists kudzu starch sweets, kuzuyu drink mix, kuzumochi, kuzukiri and dried sweets, produced and sold by the company. Winter-only freshly made kuzumochi is noted on the official introduction page, so its availability is seasonal. The company also operates a second Hanayama shop at a separate address. A visit to the main shop should not be confused with a factory tour: the operator's pages describe production at its factory but do not publish regular visitor admission or tour hours. Ask permission before assuming that manufacturing rooms can be entered or photographed.
Fit the stop into a mountain route
The main shop is at 561-1 Yoshinoyama, while the Hanayama shop is at 25 Yoshinoyama; both use the same company phone, 0746-32-8739. The Yoshino tourism guide places Yasokichi among the mountain's food and drink stops, but the operator's own pages reviewed do not provide a current regular schedule or holiday calendar. Confirm which branch is open, exact hours, seating and menu before making it a fixed lunch stop. Yoshino's lanes and slopes can make a short map distance feel longer; check the walking route from the ropeway or the current bus stop and keep time for the return to Yoshino Station.
Ask about ingredients, availability and photography
Kudzu sweets are prepared with seasonal and product-specific ingredients. If you have food allergies, ask staff about the current dish, syrup, accompanying sweet and cross-contact rather than relying on the general name. The operator sells packaged items as well as café servings, with online sales separate from an in-person tasting. No commercial photography licence or general interior filming rule was found. Ask staff before photographing the counter, food preparation, other customers or the production process.
What to look for
Made-to-order Yoshino Tennin kuzukiri with black syrup
Yoshino producer founded in 1851, with a described cold-water washing process
Seasonal fresh kuzumochi and a separate second shop in Hanayama
Photo notes
No blanket commercial photography permission was found. Ask before photographing inside the shop, food preparation, staff, customers or factory spaces. Use no copied company or tourism-site photographs without permission.
Make a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
Sources & editorial status
Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.
- Yasokichi — current shop locations, telephone and product range
- Yasokichi — shop, made-to-order Yoshino Tennin kuzukiri and winter kuzumochi
- Yasokichi — Yoshino hon-kuzu origins and Yoshino-zarashi process
- Yasokichi — main and Hanayama branch addresses
- Nara Prefecture tourism guide — current Yoshino visitor context and kudzu makers
- Yoshino tourism association — area map and shop context
- Official Nara Travel Guide — directory identity D01238