01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Strolling through the leafy precinct of Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, visitors pausing to rest their feet are often drawn in by the savoury aroma of soy sauce drifting from Danpurin. The shop's signature mitarashi dango skewers are grilled to order, giving the tender rice dumplings a gentle char that balances their rich, sweet-and-savoury glaze. Guests can also opt for kinako dango, generously dusted with toasted soybean flour over the sauce, or pick up a wrapped package to enjoy on the outdoor wooden benches dotted across the shrine grounds.
Beyond its famed skewered dumplings, the teahouse serves a classic repertoire of traditional sweets. Silky warabimochi can be ordered with kinako, dark brown sugar syrup, or matcha, alongside comforting bowls of hot zenzai red-bean soup served with salted kelp and bowls of chilled anmitsu. The drinks menu leans into nostalgia with warming shogayu ginger infusions, chilled Kyoto-style hiyashiame spiced with ginger and malt syrup, and sweet amazake, making it easy to refresh between shrine visits.
Savoury Dashi in Nishin Soba and Crisp Tempura
Come midday, the kitchen caters to hungrier appetites with a solid noodle lineup. Nishin soba, a Kyoto mainstay, pairs dashi-rich broth with sweet-simmered, lightly smoky dried herring, while bowls topped with crisp prawn tempura and cold tenzaru sets are equally well-loved. Diners after something lighter can opt for soba topped with mountain vegetables, grated yam, or pickled plum, which pair conveniently with a side bowl of savoury seasoned rice for a satisfying meal.
From the dining tables inside, wide windows look out across the quiet Horai garden designed by twentieth-century landscape architect Mirei Shigemori, lending the room a tranquil atmosphere. Payment is cash only, so carrying coins or banknotes is recommended when stopping in during a day of sightseeing.
