Mount Takao Mitarashi Dango: A couple weekends ago, I went hiking at Mount Takao, a scenic destination about an hour from Tokyo with views of Mount Fuji from the 600m tip. It's especially famous for its colorful autumn leaves, which I was very thankful to get to experience firsthand. Probably because I've been especially inactive since the start of the pandemic, it was more difficult than I expected to scale the mountain with its steep inclines and the added challenge of wearing a mask while exercising. The 22k steps made the purchase of a 350¥ stick of Mitarashi Dango feel well deserved. All along the way to the top of the mountain are various stands and shops featuring grilled dango mochi, skewered and arranged along the circumference of a lazy-susan charcoal fire. The mochi are brushed in a thick sweet and savory soy glaze and wrapped in paper to make it easier to consume. These were definitely the biggest pieces of mochi I've ever had. Dense but chewy, with a slightly crispy coating from the grill, the mochi was very satisfying and extremely filling. The savory flavor would probably be surprising if you're used to sweet mochi filled with red bean, but I definitely think it's worth trying and quite tasty. Very glad to have tried this traditional treat outside of the packaged versions I've had from the local grocery store! 4.0/5.0

recommended japanese mochi mounttakao mitarashi dango 4.0