Maple Leaf Tempura

　A speciality of Minoh, maple leaf tempura. It is said to have originated when En no Gyōja—the founder of Shugendō, who was active in the 7th and 8th centuries and about whom numerous legends remain—fried maple leaves in lamp oil and served them to visitors.

　It is made by salt-curing the edible ‘Ichigyō-ji maple’ leaves for a year to remove their astringency, coating them in a batter made from wheat flour mixed with sugar and white sesame seeds, and then deep-frying them in rapeseed oil.

　It has a subtle sweetness and a flavour reminiscent of karintō, a sweet and deep-fried Japanese snack food. Maple leaves are rich in polyphenols and are said to help control blood sugar levels and suppress fat accumulation. There are many shops along the waterfall trail in Minoh, and this is a local speciality you really must try.