TORAYA TOKYO

Anmitsu or kuzukiri? At TORAYA TOKYO, the choice of traditional Toraya sweets makes it easy to find something for a pause in the day. The anmitsu pairs smooth azuki bean paste made with Hokkaido beans with seasonal toppings, and is served with brown sugar syrup. One visitor’s order also included amber jelly, red peas and colourful cubes of agar jelly, offering different flavours and textures in each spoonful. They found that the brown sugar syrup deepened the sweetness, too, making it enjoyable to vary the combination as they ate.

For a lighter, refreshing sweet to savour slowly, try kuzukiri. Made with 100% kudzu starch to bring out the plant’s distinctive flavour and springy texture, it is served with wasanbon sugar syrup. Visitors have praised its slippery texture, freshly prepared to order, and the refined sweetness of the wasanbon. For a meeting of Japanese and Western flavours, there is also a manju filled with smooth azuki bean paste and wrapped in Earl Grey dough scented with bergamot. One review noted how well the tea’s fragrant aroma complemented the smooth sweetness of the filling. The Azuki and Cacao Fondant Yokan combines smooth and chunky azuki bean pastes with chocolate, then bakes them to a rich, moist finish; it comes with matcha sauce.

Drinks include coffee with a clean finish that pairs well with Japanese sweets, as well as Toraya’s original Uji tea, Matcha Kyo no Shirabe. One visitor said the matcha stood out for its balance of gentle bitterness and sweetness. You can choose a drink to accompany a sweet, or simply stop in for tea. The shop is on the 2th floor of The Tokyo Station Hotel; one visitor appreciated being able to enjoy tea in a quiet setting away from the bustle of the station. It’s a useful option for a sweet and a cup of tea between meetings or shopping at Tokyo Station.