Nanzenji tofu (tofu of Nanzen-ji Temple) (南禅寺豆腐)
Nanzenji tofu is a kind of tofu produced around Nanzen-ji Temple, the Grand Head Temple of Rinzai sect in Kyoto, and Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture.
Summary
Nanzenji tofu weighs from 80 to 150 grams, having the shape of a round bowl and has a gentle and smooth taste.
It is usually enjoyed together with Japanese ginger or ginger on top as cold tofu, or with a covering of kudzu sauce.
Origin of the name Nanzenji tofu
It is well known that the area around Nanzen-ji Temple in Kyoto is home to boiled tofu stores that have served Nanzenji tofu for a long time. It is said that a Buddhist priest from Kyoto taught a tofu store in Sakata City how to make Nanzenji tofu, and then Nanzenji tofu became widely known in Shonai Region.