Kuri-manju

Chestnut buns for good luck with plenty of chestnuts

“Kogetsu-do” a confectionery in Kokura, Kitakyushu City, is a long-established Japanese confectionery established in 1953. With a reputation for chestnut confections, this confectionery has long been familiar to the people of Kitakyushu and Fukuoka.

The store’s signature product, the “Kuri(chestnut ) manju” is a manju filled with red bean paste made from “katsu chestnuts” which are said to bring good luck for New Year’s celebrations. Katsu chestnuts” are dried chestnuts that have been lightly pounded with a mortar and the shells and astringent skin removed.

The shiny manju skin at the top is made of egg yolk and mirin (sweet cooking rice wine), and is so shiny that it is rare to see it shining so brightly.

The crust has the texture of bread dough, but is thinner and has a savory flavor with chestnut red bean paste filled with chestnuts.

The chestnut red bean paste is made of fine blocks of peeled chestnuts soaked in honey, and the crunchy chestnuts are delicious. It was a natural manju with a simple sweetness and rich chestnut flavor.