It is characterized by its elegant sweetness! What is Akita's specialty, "morokoshi"? [Akita Prefecture]

Each region has its own specialty products, and of course Akita Prefecture has many of them, with colorful sweets and folk crafts lined up in the souvenir shops

Among the souvenirs, a sweet called "Kinman" is particularly famous, and can be purchased in various places around Akita Station, such as the arcade and station building. It is a sweet made of castella-like dough wrapped in white bean paste, and there was even a famous commercial in Akita Prefecture with the phrase "I ate 28 of them!" It is a sweet that is very familiar to Akita residents, and is an easy souvenir for people outside the prefecture to pick up

However, Kinman is not the only famous sweet from Akita Prefecture

This time, we will introduce Morokoshi that is just as affordable as Kinman. It comes in a wide variety of flavors and is fun to look at.

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What is "Morokoshi"? A look into the history of Akita's famous confectionery

"Morokoshi" is one of Akita Prefecture's most famous sweets. There are various theories about its origin, but it is written in kanji as "Morokoshi," "Todo," or "Morokoshi."

This sweet is made from adzuki bean flour, and is now mixed with refined sugar and wasanbon sugar, with different shapes and flavors of corn being sold in different regions and shops across Akita Prefecture

The history of corn is said to date back to the Edo period

When a sweet similar to rakugan made from adzuki bean flour was presented to the feudal lord, the lord of the Kubota domain at the time praised it, saying, "Its flavor surpasses all other sweets!", and it came to be called "Morokoshi." It is because the feudal lord said it was "delicious" that morokoshi became famous within the prefecture

Maize is still loved by the people of the prefecture today, and many different types have been sold over the years. All of them have interesting colors and shapes. As an example, let us introduce some maize that is actually on sale

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The colors and shapes are interesting! There are Akita dog shapes and cherry blossom shapes perfect for spring

The interesting thing about corn is that there are so many different types

Some are shaped like Akita dogs, some have scenes from the Akita Kanto Festival or butterbur engraved on them, and some are even shaped like plum or cherry blossoms

The price is reasonable, at just a few hundred yen for a small pack, and it makes a great little souvenir that people of all ages will be delighted to receive. It's also a good idea to choose corn according to the season

Most souvenir shops in Akita Prefecture carry morokoshi, and it's also commonly sold in supermarkets. It's a snack that continues to be loved by the people of the prefecture

This is cherry blossom-colored corn in the shape of a cherry blossom. It pairs perfectly with slightly bitter drinks like roasted green tea and green tea. Its elegant sweetness, which combines deliciousness and elegance, makes it perfect for tea ceremonies

Made with high-quality Wasanbon sugar, it melts in your mouth without the need for chewing. It's reminiscent of cherry blossom petals falling. If you're visiting Akita in the spring, this is a corn you should definitely check out

The wrapping paper for this corn is inspired by the Kanto Festival. If you visit Akita in the summer, we recommend buying some and handing them out to people around you, saying, "I saw the Kanto Festival!" Many of the corns are elaborately shaped, and the wrapping paper also evokes a sense of the season and Akita

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lastly

The corn, which impressed the lord by saying, "Its flavor surpasses that of other sweets!", also has a "nice shape" and "interesting packaging." It's fascinating to see the rows of karari morokoshi lined up in souvenir shops, including at train stations. Children will no doubt be delighted, exclaiming, "It's a dog!" or "It's a flower!"

It has a refined sweetness and melts easily without much chewing. Morokoshi is a great souvenir for the elderly or those who enjoy Japanese tea! It is a highly recommended representative confectionery of Akita Prefecture

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