Awesome finds in Japan

If you saw my other post you'll know that I came home with a crapload of omiyage for my family and friends.  While shopping around in Japan I came across some great finds that I figure if I don't blog it I'll forget what I got and where I got it...

If you know me, I'm kinda an ume freak.  I love ume snacks, I don't know why.  While in Kyoto I ran across this ume shop twice.  I never did take a picture of the name of the store...damn!  But we saw it once in Arashiyama (about 1/2 an hour out of Kyoto) and once in the Gion district.  It's kind of a fancier store, the girl behind the counter will hand you out samples of all different kinds of ume.

This ume jelly was AMAZING.  I have no idea what to eat it with, the picture showed spreading it on bread.  I think that would taste weird.  I'll probably just eat it with a spoon.

This is from the same store, it's ume with garlic.  It's delicious!

This is some kind of hot sauce and pepper.  I bought this for Randy, I can't eat the stuff.  I'm a wimp.  I think this is from Nishiki Market in Kyoto.

My friend Ryuji told me I could get some really good ume in Osaka that's pretty affordable.  "it's everywhere! You won't have any trouble finding it..."  Jalna and I went to Doguyasuji, a restaurant supply shopping district and I figured it wouldn't be a problem finding it around there.  We walked around for about 2 hours before we ran across this little lady that had a pile of ume in the corner of her shop.  It was worth the wait.  It's yummy.  

This is a sweet ume...I learned "amae" means sweet in Japanese.  I think the lower the percentage, the sweeter it is??  anyone?  This one is 8%

This is the actual ume that Ryuji recommended.  I didn't open it yet because I still have to finish my other container.  This one is 11%.  By the way, we found it all over the place in Tokyo...grrr...

This was the best Konbu i've ever eaten.  I think this small package cost 1350¥ but it's soooo worth it.  I'm afraid to open it cause I'll eat it all in one sitting.  I have no idea where I bought it :(  Hopefully Jalna will remember.

This is some ume and konbu candy.  I found this in Tsukiji a few years ago and I had to make sure to pop in and buy me some more...It's on the streetside around the corner from the busy ramen restaurant.  I think it's a konbu store.

I'm not sure who let me sample this first but this candy wrapper has been up on my bulletin board for the past few years and it must've been good for me to save it.  This one was hard to find.  We checked all the candy stores in Kyoto and Tokyo and were out of luck.  We happened to find it in a Family Mart and also a pharmacy in a little town called Araiyakushimae.  So bizarre because this was a last minute trip and we haven't even heard of that place until then!

If you like kinako mochi then you'll love this candy!

I can't really call this my find, my co-worker Joanne brought this back for me a few years ago and I was hooked.  She told me she got it from Takashimaya, basement level, Nihonbashi stop (Ginza, Tozai or Asakusa Line)  Between Jalna and I we brought back 11 bags!!