Sio-Kenpi

Imo-kenpi made from kogane-sengan, a raw material for Imo-jōchū

Shibuya Foods, located in Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture, has been consistently manufacturing sweet potato confectionery since 1952. It is said that the company accounts for about 50% of the national share in the production of sweet potato “kenpi”.

The sweet potato used to make “kenpi” by sibuya foods is called “Kogane Sengan“. This variety is widely grown in the Shikoku and Kyushu regions as a raw material for Imo-jōchū (sweet potato shochu).

The bag I bought this time contains 105g, and this amount served on a plate is about one-third of the total (probably around 30g). It is a little too much for one person to eat.

In shape, they are just like McDonald’s French fries. The crispy fried potato is covered with honey and has a hard texture. They look shiny, and the honey soaks into the fries, giving them a transparent appearance.

It has a strong aroma of sweet potato and the sweetness of honey is gentle and natural. It is as good as you would expect from Kochi’s authentic sweet potato “kenpi”.