Ochanokosaisai Sannenzaka — Local services in Kyoto

This little spice store sells excellent spicy rice seasoning (things you sprinkle over rice to flavour the rice you’re eating). They have little dishes where you can try the seasonings, and if you love spicy, this stuff is addicting. The one they recommend is the Kyoto spice oil seasoning (京ラー油ふりかけ; 594 yen a packet), which is awesome, but I personally also recommend their spicy sesame seasoning (胡麻ふりかけ). They have others, of course, that you should also try!

They also sell two different types of curry rice crackers. One is more “moist”, but the dry curry rice crackers are ones I recommend (gluten free). Try them all and see what...

This place has the most AMAZING furikake. If you love chilli and spice their best seller is a fragrant, slightly crunchy blend of chilli pepper, and sesame/ sesame oil. A staff was handing us our samplers with some rice and it was the best marketing. We bought several packs as a practical souvenir. They also sell varied spice levels of other chilli powder for seasoning which was quite nice paired with cracker samplers or dash. It is in the shopping streets after you visit Kyomizu-dera....

Love this place! Doesn't look like much from the outside (your standard vendor shop), but it's filled with delicious spices and teas.

Bonus: free samples! With so many packaged food options in the city, it's awesome tasting before you buy.

I highly, highly recommend their Kyoto seasoning, which is a chili oil furikake (sesame seeds, onion, seaweed, chili oil) that goes really well with rice. It's one of my favorite purchases from my trip, wish I had...