Ajyari Mochi, the sweet loved by Kyoto people for 170 years can be Halal.

The taste of Kyoto.

Kyoto is a city that attracts many people, where all the nice and traditional goodies exist. Ajyari Mochi (阿闍梨餅), however, is definitely a No.1 souvenir from the city.

Ever since a sweet shop called Mangetsu (満月), which is in Sakyo Ward, has introduced this sweet in the market, it became a sweet that represents Kyoto.

Mangetsu was first established in 1856, so when considering the long history of Kyoto, the sweet shop may be relatively new. Let’s get to know why this sweet is amazing, and to find out if the product can be Halal or not.

What is Ajyari Mochi?

Though it has “Mochi” in their name, it is not a sticky rice cake that we usually imagine.

Ajyari Mochi is a Japanese sweet with chewy and fluffy pancake with the sweet red bean paste filling. The reason why the sweet is named such way is also interesting.

In Kyoto, there were so many Buddhist monks who had to go through a harsh training in the mountain. To accomplish their task, monks had Mochi.

The name of the sweet became Ajyari Mochi to show their respect for monks who are entitled to be Ajyari, a top monk. The shape of the sweet was made in the image of the shape of their hat.

How is the sweet special?

Now, let’s get to know why the sweet is so special.

In order to maintain the quality of the sweet, Mangetsu has only 4 types of sweets. By concentrating on making only four items, the taste and the quality of the sweets can be more polished, which is the reason why their sweets became the second-to-none.

They have introduced machinery to make Ajyari Mochi instead of making them by hand, because by doing this, they can maintain the quality and ensure all the products are the same.

The red bean paste is another secret of the success. Each item uses its own red beans, and they will never mix or use the same type of beans for different products.

The red bean used for Ajyari Mochi should not be too big or small. When the red beans are being cooked, it is carefully monitored at all times. The amount of sugar, humidity, or the temperature of the day are all considered. This part cannot be replaced by machines.

Detail of the product

As you can see, there is only natural ingredients and no restricted items!

Risk of contamination can be quite low, too. This is because Mangetsu does not make any products with animal-derived ingredients.

What is the recommended recipe?

Of course, you can eat Ajyari Mochi as it is. The best way to eat it is at the Mangetsu main store to eat a fresh one. However, there are few recommended ways to eat, which we would like to tell you.

The first way is to warm up a little bit. The pancake will be warmer and softer, and you will feel the taste is a bit sweeter with crispy surface. You can use frying pan or toaster.

The second way sounds bit unhealthy. It is to fry with butter or oil! Putting a little of flour on the surface of the Ajyari Mochi, and then fry or grill with either oil. It is a recipe of a “devil”, but the taste will be amazing.

The third way is to put hot water over the Ajyari Mochi and mix well. The sweet becomes more like a sweet red bean soup, or Zenzai in Japanese. You can add some rice cake inside, too.

Where to buy the product?

You can buy the product at the very limited places. Apart from Mangetsu shops in Kyoto, it can be bought at the following department stores:

If you are lucky, you can find them selling the product temporarily in the department stores in Kansai region, too. There is always a long queue, so plan well.

Products are available to buy online, too. If you are traveling to Japan and not sure if you have plenty of time or not, this would be the best way to get one.

Details of the shop

The product is not made as Halal or Muslim-friendly, so there is a small risk of contamination, which we cannot be responsible of.  We are here to help you with translating the label, and not judging if the product is Halal or not.  Please eat at your own risk.