Toshoan

At Toshoan, located near Sanjo Horikawa, many visitors come specifically for the soufflé pancakes baked with rice flour. Because they are cooked slowly on the griddle only after an order is placed, guests wait about 20 to 30 minutes at their table, but the reward is a stack of impressive thickness that melts softly on the palate like a cloud. The pancake itself is kept lightly sweet, making it a pleasure to eat alongside the cleanly sweet anko (sweet red bean paste) and syrup, which can be adjusted in each bite to your liking.

Alongside classic choices like plain and matcha, the lineup features seasonal variations such as lemon with a crisp, refreshing acidity or early-spring sakura. Beyond pancakes, the tearoom serves cheesecake and parfaits, all of which can be enjoyed alongside a gentle, aromatic cup of hojicha (roasted green tea), a cafe latte, or an iced coffee in a drink set.

Pancake orders in the cafe are taken until 16:30 in the late afternoon, and patrons of junior high school age and older are asked to order at least one drink, except when ordering shaved ice. In the shop section near the entrance, shelves are stocked with individually wrapped baked sweets, tsubuan (coarse sweet red bean paste), and monaka wafer shells that you can fill with bean paste yourself, making it easy to pick up gifts to take home after relaxing in the tearoom.