Minamoto Kitchoan

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Chelsea Lin

Joined 6 years ago

Traditional Japanese sweet shop serves tea-time confections.. Only the Japanese could elevate the simple act of purchasing a cookie to the level of ritual involved with picking out a name for your first born. This overly formal yet strikingly beautiful little Market Street shop comes straight off the streets of Tokyo and may just be the most authentically Japanese retail spot in the city: the little cakes and cookies look more decorative than edible, each is intricately packaged, shop girls are almost ceremonial in their processing of payment and handing over of the goods. The flavors may be uncommon for Western tastes--yuzu, chestnut and red bean are prevalent, as well as seasonal fruit and flower flavors--but the aesthetic and exoticism of these little treasures meant for Japanese tea time are reason enough to purchase. After all, if you can buy couture handbags in Union Square, why not couture sweets?