A very unique, very pricy snack from Japan’s classiest town.

Kyoto is Japan’s classiest city. The buildings are classy, the way of speaking is classy, the trains are classy…and are even the nuts classy?

That’s what we were wondering while looking through the wares of Kyoto’s Shimogamo Saryo. Shimogmo Saryo is a ryotei, the term used to describe ultra-fancy restaurants with exclusive clienteles and menus carefully crafted by a master chef. Our Japanese-language reporter Udonko remembers strolling by Shimogamo Saryo during her student days when she lived in Kyoto, but never had the room in her budget for a meal there. However, as a full-fledged member of working society, she’s finally reached a level of financial security where she can buy some of their nuts.

Udonko didn’t have to go all the way back to Kyoto to do this, either, since Shimogamo Saryo has an online storefront on Rakuten, which is where Udonko ordered her Ryotei Chirimen Nuts from. At 2,052 yen (US$13.75) these aren’t the cheapest snacks, but that price is for a whole box of them at least, and the box itself is very nice to look at, elegantly understated and bound with a vermillion cord.

But the real visual impact came when Udonko untied the cord and opened the lid…

…and saw that there are only five nut clusters inside!

Again, it’s 2,052 for the box, which makes those nut clusters more than 410 yen each! For that much, you could get an entire rice bowl or noodle lunch at a casual restaurant, so this is definitely some luxurious snacking.

Oh, and if you’re thinking that price is justified by the size of each nut cluster, that’s clearly not the intention, as they’re decidedly bite-sized.

▼ We’re not sure we’ve ever plated a single nut cluster by itself before, but at this price, such presentation seemed appropriate.

So just what exactly goes into the Ryotei Chirimen Nuts? Well, obviously there are nuts: almonds, cashews, and walnuts. Also right there in the name are the chirimen, which is what Japan calls small dried sardines. Fish and nuts might seem like a bizarre combination, but it’s not unheard of in Japan, although usually the mixture is anchovies and almonds alone.

Accompanying the nuts and chirimen are dried blueberries, and there’s another way the Ryotei Chirimen Nuts distinguish themselves too, which is that they’re held together by a sweet glaze made from honey, soy sauce, and mirin (sweet cooking sake).

Again bearing in mind how much each bite was going to cost her, Udonko sat up straight with her very best posture, reverently picked up a nut cluster, and placed it delicately in her mouth, anticipating a hearty crunch from all the nuts. So imagine her surprise when there was absolutely no crunchiness or crispiness at all! Instead, however the Ryotei Chirimen Nuts are prepared leaves the clusters moist and tender.

The flavor was everything that the list of ingredients had left Udonko hoping it would be. You get a rich nutty sensation coupled with the sweet tang of the fruit. The chirimen, sparingly, have only a mild effect on the flavor profile and make their presence felt more in terms of texture. The glaze ties everything together in an extremely harmonious way, with all of the components playing nicely with one another and no harsh transitions or unpleasant muddling of tastes.

Shimogamo Saryo recommends Ryotei Chirimen Nuts buts for a wide variety of pairings, saying that they go well with tea, coffee, milk, juice, wine, sake, or cocktails, and we’re apt to believe them, seeing as how the nut clusters themselves have such a complex but satisfying flavor.

▼ We are going to have to think long and hard about which of those pairings we want to try first, though, since we’ve only got a few lest.

So in the end, Udonko feels that, as expensive as the Ryotei Chirimen Nuts are, they’re completely worth it, and if you’re looking to treat yourself too, they can be ordered online here.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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