Kyōrakuju

Confections made of wasanbon with a beautiful Kyoto-like pattern

I bought “Kyōrakuju” from “Kan’eido” a Japanese confectionery store in Kyoto that also operates stores nationwide. Kan’eido is a very long-established Japanese confectionary shop that dates back to the early Edo period (1630-1868).

The “Kyōrakuju” I bought this time is a confectionary made of hardened wasanbon. The package is beautifully decorated with cherry blossoms and is the size of a 500-yen coin.

A confectionary made of Wasanbon sugar pressed into a geometric pattern. It may also be called “Higashi” but wasanbon sugar is a traditional Japanese sugar produced in Tokushima and Kagawa prefectures using sugarcane called “Chiku-tou” and is characterized by its light and fluffy texture and gentle sweetness. It has an image of being used for high-class Japanese sweets.

The refined sweetness that spreads as it loosens in the mouth is the true taste of wasanbon. It is a beautiful confectionary with a sense of tradition and stylistic beauty unique to Kyoto. It is also suitable as a gift or souvenir because it keeps well for a long time.