Simian Sweets: Monkey Guardian “Wagashi” a Hit with Shrine Visitors | : Japan in Video

Near the gate to Hiyoshi Taisha, a shrine in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, stands confectioner Tsuruya Masumitsu, which has been in business for over a century. Started by a long-time employee of famous Kyoto confectioner Tsuruya Yoshinobu, it is a purveyor of traditional sweets not only to Hiyoshi Taisha but also to major temples Enryakuji and Saikyōji, and Ōmi Shrine. All its wagashi sweets are carefully crafted by hand.