Yoshiwara-denchū

Delicious traditional confection which was originated in the Edo period

“Yoshiwara-denchū” made by Kamejirushi, a long-established confectionery established in 1852 in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, is a traditional Japanese confectionary, which is made from soybean flour and glutinous rice.  That has been known as one of representitive famous sweets in Mito city and is made by many confecioners there.

The name “Yoshiwara-denchū” meaning Yoshiwara in the palace, allegedly derives from an old story, said Ms. Yoshiwara, an housemaid who worked for the palace of Tokugawa Nariaki, the lord of the Mito domain in the late Edo period, created it from a leftover rice grains. She dried it and covered it with soybean flour.

It is said that the lord Nariaki Tokugawa was very pleased to know what she made from a leftover and her idea so that he named Yoshiwara-denchu on the sweets because the lord generally encouraged frugality.  It is surprising background which comes from an idea of her frugality mind.

The sufficient kinako, soybean flour covers around arare bar , rice cracker bar and it is coated with starch syrup

The texture is soft, but it is crunchy when we eat, curious texture. The combination of kinako (soybean flour), syrup, and arare (rice cracker) is the best combination without doubt.   It has a simple sweetness, and tastes perfect.  It is understandable why it has been loved for a long time.