Recently, I have been receiving a lot of souvenirs from customers. The other day, I received some traditional Japanese sweets from "Toraya" in Kurume, and this time it was from "Toraya" in Fukuoka. I wonder why so many traditional Japanese sweet shops are named "Toraya"? It's a mystery, haha. It's like how there are many ramen shops across the country named "Rairaiken." I would like to investigate and find out someday. ^_^

I think among all the deliveries, the Gyokan from Toraya is exceptional. I went to Toraya in the basement of Mitsukoshi and had them wrap the Gyokan for me. The Gyokan from Toraya feels different even from the weight when you hold it. When you take a bite, it has an elegant sweetness and a high-quality texture, everything about it is top-notch. There are also many varieties such as black tea, Omokage, matcha, honey, and more.

I went to Mitsukoshi basement to buy Toraya's yokan. I wanted to eat classic yokan after a long time. For my daughter who loves yokan, I got the traditional one, and for my husband, I chose the rare rum raisin flavor. I opted for red tea. The packaging of the night plum yokan was the spring version.

I bought it on the way to buy souvenirs. The golf ball-shaped monaka is famous here. It's a treat that golf lovers will love! The appearance is so well done that I hesitated to eat it. As a specialty sweets shop, the red bean paste filling is exquisite. The crispy texture was very delicious. Next time, I want to give it as a gift to a golf-loving customer. Blog: http://yamatanbou.seesaa.net/s/

This is Toraya, a yokan (sweet bean jelly) shop located on the basement 2nd floor of Fukuoka Mitsukoshi. Every year, they sell yokan that corresponds to the zodiac sign of that year, so I visited to buy this yokan right after the New Year. The yokan is called "Hatsutori," made in reference to the zodiac sign for 2017, the year of the rooster. It features two colors representing the rooster welcoming the new year, and costs 3,600 yen for two half-sized yokan pieces. I also bought several mini-sized yokan that are easy to carry home.

When having tea with my parents, we always seem to enjoy sweet treats together (^w^) I wonder if having a sweet tooth runs in the family!? I decided to try some yokan this time and bought the "Aoyu no Ka" yokan from Toraya for 2106 yen (tax included). It caught my eye in the showcase with its vibrant colors, perfect for the season. Aoyu no Ka is a limited edition yokan only available in summer, with a beautiful contrast of yellow and green. It contains finely chopped candied yuzu peel, adding a refreshing touch to the overall sweetness of the yokan. It was a relaxing tea time with my parents. Thank you for the delicious treat!

You can meet the traditional Japanese confectionery idol, Toraya, at department stores all over Japan. This historic shop has been around since the late 1500s. This time, I finally completed the collection of mini yokan that I've been interested in since I got into Japanese sweets! There are a total of five types of mini yokan. First, there are two types of red bean-based yokan: Yoru no Ume and Omokage. Then, there are three types of white bean paste-based yokan: Honey, Black Tea, and Matcha. I had always thought of Toraya as a traditional and orthodox brand, so I was a bit surprised to see variations like honey and black tea. Each of these mini yokan has a dense and chewy texture, and despite their small size, they are quite substantial and satisfying to eat. Here are my thoughts on each flavor: - Omokage (left in the photo, black box): A brown yokan with a rich brown sugar flavor. It is quite sweet and has a strong taste of black sugar. - Honey (second from the left, orange box): An orange-colored yokan with a honey-like sweetness. It is on the sweeter side, but also has a refreshing hint of white bean paste. - Black Tea (center, red box): A black yokan with an elegant aroma of black tea and a slightly astringent tea leaf flavor. A unique and interesting yokan that defies the norm. - Fresh Green (second from the right, green box): A green yokan with a subtle matcha aroma. It has a mild flavor and is the lightest among the five types. - Yoru no Ume (left in the photo, dark brown box): A brown yokan with whole red beans. A classic and standard yokan with firm red beans. Each flavor has its own distinct personality, but you can also taste the flavor of the beans. The texture is firm and solid, but smooth without the roughness or dryness typical of red bean sweets. Recently, I had the opportunity to try yokan from Tachibana-ya Hachijishi in Saga, which seems to have a slightly softer texture. By the way, the yokan from Muraokaya that I reviewed earlier falls somewhere between Toraya and Tachibana-ya in terms of softness. If you know of any incredibly delicious yokan that can be purchased online, please let me know!

This is my favorite Toraya yokan. This time it's Omokage! Personally, I like Yoru no Ume the best! Omokage has a completely black appearance and a strong taste of brown sugar. When you eat a piece of yokan, you will feel satisfied. The texture is slightly firmer than Yoru no Ume. I have never had anything better than this yokan, so I think Toraya's yokan is the best. I would love to have it again. Thank you for the meal!!

The July Paris festival is a Japanese term, and it's not as festive in Paris as it is in Japan. It's a public holiday for the French Revolution, similar to Japan's National Foundation Day. The "Toraya Paris Festival" is held in October to commemorate the opening of the Toraya Paris store 30 years ago. Limited edition products are released each season, but unfortunately, they are only available in select locations. The Ginza store is the only place where you can get all the items. The limited sales run until the 24th, and some items have already sold out. One of the items, "Koiguchi," is a confectionery created by the second-generation owner, Tsuji Yoshikazu, who struggled with the design due to its elegance, and it is not available in regional stores. I was able to get only four items this time. The "Marche no Kaze" features white bean paste with apricot and pear, each with a sweet and delicious flavor. Looking at the ingredients list, sugar is the most abundant ingredient. "Pear Fragrance" is a first taste of pear yokan, made with pear juice and finely chopped fruit pieces. The texture of the pear chunks adds an interesting sensation when tasted with the tongue and teeth. Looking forward to the next seasonal limited edition.

I may not need to talk about this deliciousness, as the world already knows, but the excitement I felt when I tried "Yoru no Ume" for the first time is unforgettable. Honestly, it was a bit shocking. I mean, was Yokan really this delicious? Just a simple creation of boiled azuki beans with sugar, solidified with agar, but what is this taste? The aroma and sweetness of the azuki beans hit you, satisfying your taste buds while leaving a light and delicate aftertaste! It makes me want to play at being a food connoisseur. I actually didn't like Yokan before (I know, I know...), but I became a fan in an instant, thanks to "Yoru no Ume." It's popular as a gift, for celebrations, or as a greeting for someone senior, and it's no wonder why. Not only is it delicious, but the packaging is luxurious, and when you add a decorative cord, it looks truly impressive. I've only tried a few varieties of Yokan so far, but I look forward to tasting different flavors based on the season or year. There are also special editions for the zodiac sign of the year, events, or commemorations, so it's a shop worth checking out from time to time. The one for the Year of the Dragon next year looked beautiful. It may be a bit pricey, but it's definitely worth it. Long live Japan's traditional confectionery culture!

This time, I received a small-sized matcha yokan. It has a cute drawing of this year's zodiac sign, the sheep. The color scheme is not the traditional style of Toraya, but more bright and modern, which surprised me. I remember hearing that Toraya releases various designs for each season. This must be one of them! The yokan has a deep but light color, including a hint of transparency when light shines through. It is small but packed with a subtle matcha aroma, making it an elegant yokan. As expected from Toraya. It's convenient to eat on the go as it is small and can be opened neatly without getting your hands dirty. This could be a good snack to carry around or for sports activities. It's been a while since I had Toraya's yokan, and it's still delicious.