Yatsuhashi

Yatsuhashi

Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋 or 八橋) is a Japanese food. It is sometimes sold as a souvenir sweet.^[1] It is made from rice, sugar and cinnamon. Two types of Yatsuhashi can be bought, either raw or hard Yatsuhashi.^[2]

History

Yatsuhashi comes from Yatsuhashi Kengyo, the pioneer of making Yatsuhashi. In the Edo era, he saved everything so he could make something from leftover rice. Then Yatsuhashi was created. After he died, Yatsuhashi was loved by people in Kyoto, and now it is a very famous food in Kyoto.^[3]

Ingredients

Yatsuhashi is made from rice flour, soybean flour, sesame, sugar cane and a lot of cinnamon. A special cinnamon called “Nikkei” is part of its unique taste.

Shop

Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo

Izutsu Yatsuhashi was established by Sahei Tsuda in 1805. At one of the Izutsu yatsuhashi shops, Kyogoku Ichibangai, people can make their own yatsuhashi.^[4]

Otabe

In 1946, a confectionery retail store was started at the Kawaramachirokkaku. In1949, the store started to sell yatsuhashi. In 1969, the name of company has changed to “Otabe”. In 2010, Otabe’s Choco-Yatsuhashi won a special gold prize in Monde Selection.^[5]

Honke Nishio Yatsuhashi

The history of Honke Nishino Yatsuhashi began in 1687 in the Edo period, so three hundred years have passed. It has a long story. At the time, “Shiramochi” which is like old raw yatsuhashi was sold there.^[6]

Besides these yatsuhashi stores, there are famous shops in Kyoto. They are 'Goden Yatsuhashi, 'Seikodo', 'Hakushindo', and 'HonkeNishio'.

Sorts

Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honnpo

Izutsu Yatsuhashi: This is a confection from a famous shop shaped like a long Japanese zither with thirteen strings. It has been sold for more than 200 years.

Nama-Yatsuhashi: This is tender taste.

Yuko: This is a lyric confection containing bean jam. This is a Yatsuhashi which is associated with Yuko who is a heroine of “the gobantyo-yugirirou". Other tastes: strawberry, powdered green tea, chocolate and apple. ^[7][8]

Otabe

Otabe: This Nama-Yatsuhashi uses rice grown in Fukui prefecture which is called "Koshihikari", Hokkaido adzuki bean, and water in Fukui prefecture. Other taste: chocolate, powdered green tea, salt, and sesami.

Yatsuhashi: This is a confection from Kyoto which has been loved by people since more than 300 years ago.

Choco-Yatsuhashi: This is the original confection of Otabe. Yatsuhashi is baked thin, and then it is coated in chocolate.

Nama-Yatsuhashi: This is tender dough which is baked. ^[9]

Honke Nishio Yatsuhasi

Yatsuhashi: This is crisp. Tastes: powdered green tea, sesami, and banana.

Pocket-Yatsuhashi: This is a Yatsuhashi which you can carry in your pocket. Tastes: cacao, strawberry, and powdered green tea. ^[10]

References

1. "Yatsuhashi". Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
2. "Yatsuhashi, Cinnamon sweets from Kyoto". 20 August 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
3. Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo. "Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo: history". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
4. Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honnpo. "Izutsu Yastuhashi Honnpo: history". Retrieved 19 December 2010.
5. Otabe. "Otabe: Otabe's history". Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
6. Honke Nishio Yatsuhashi. "Honke Nishio Yastuhashi: history". Retrieved 19 December 2010.
7. Syuji Maeya (2007). mapple magazine Kyoto e dekakeyo. Tokyo: Shobunsha. p. 61.
8. Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honnpo. "Izutsu Yastuhashi Honnpo: catalogue". Retrieved 19 December 2010.
9. Otabe. "Otabe: Otabe's confection". Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
10. Honke Nishio Yatsuhashi. "Honke Nishio Yastuhashi: information about goods". Retrieved 19 December 2010.