[Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture] We recommend famous sweets loved by locals as souvenirs from Aizu!

When you travel to Fukushima Prefecture, you will be in trouble when it comes to souvenirs.

This is because the appearance of Fukushima is completely different between the three regions of Hamadori, Nakadori, and Aizu, so it is difficult to find souvenirs from Fukushima Prefecture. That being said, I feel like I'm losing out when I buy souvenirs that borrow the name of other famous places, such as ``Byakkotai○○''.

Recommended souvenirs from the Aizu region!

Therefore, in this article, we will introduce some recommended souvenirs from the Aizu region! If you would like to give a gift of a famous confectionery unique to Aizu, please check it out!

Sweets Storehouse Taroan “Taro Imo”

The first thing we would like to introduce is the famous confectionery ``Taro Imo'', which is said to be the origin of ``Kashi no Kura Taroan'', which opened in 1948.

Taro imo is a famous confectionery inspired by a sweet potato, as you can imagine from its appearance, which has been modeled after a sweet potato since its founding. The sweet potato skin is recreated using wheat and cocoa powder, and it's so well-reproduced that you'll have the illusion that you're eating the skin of a roasted sweet potato!

It is sure to surprise and impress those who eat it!

The bean paste is made with Naruto Kintoki ``Satomusume'' from Tokushima, which has been slowly steamed in a steamer, and the moderate sweetness and sweet potato flavor perfectly match! There are still small grains of sweet potato, which accentuate the texture.

The reason behind our insistence on using Tokushima products is not only the taste, but also the connection between Tokushima and Aizu.

Toyohisa Matsue, born as the eldest son of a samurai of the former Aizu clan, became the commandant of the Bando POW camp in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. During World War I, Matsue opposed the treatment of prisoners of war by the army at the time, believing that prisoners of war were "patriots, not criminals," and publicly declared that they should be treated humanely, German soldiers were allowed to operate freely.

As a result, interaction between citizens and Germans in Naruto flourished, and a German Pavilion was built in Naruto City. In addition, Aizuwakamatsu City became a friendly exchange city with Naruto City, a place connected to Matsue, in October 1999.

By the way, this is a fall/winter limited item, so be careful when purchasing!

Nagatoya “Kurumi Yubeshi Hanayuki”

The next item we will introduce is Kurumi Yubeshi, a popular Tohoku souvenir.

Kurumi Yubeshi is a famous confectionery that is loved throughout Tohoku, but Nagatoya's ``Hanayuki'' is one of the most delicious and popular Yubeshi!

The chewy texture is one of its charms, but the secret to its deliciousness is the oni walnuts, which are packed full of ingredients. In fact, Aizu is a hidden gem of walnuts!

It has less astringency and bitterness than the generally available Western walnuts, so even children can eat them! It's less bitter and less sweet, so it's also recommended for people who don't like sweets!

Hanayuki, which uses plenty of oni walnuts, is perfect for tea!

Nagatoya “Aizu Otorimonaka”

The last thing I would like to introduce is Nagatoya's sweets.

Speaking of Ogari Koboshi, it is one of Aizu's local toys. We would like to introduce you to ``Owaari Monaka'', a reproduction of such an awari koboshi!

During this time, ``Koshi-an'' made with Wasanbon and ``Momo-an'' made with peaches from Fukushima are added to the skin in the shape of an awari-koboshi and eaten. The fun part is making it yourself!

It's easy to make! Both the upper and lower Koboshi-shaped skins are filled with red bean paste and combined! All you have to do is eat deliciously! You can eat it freshly in the skin, so you can enjoy the crispy texture!

Kids will definitely love it because they can make it and eat it while having fun!

summary

Aizu is a popular tourist destination in Fukushima! There are many souvenirs that take advantage of local specialties, but if you are going to give something as a gift, we recommend famous confections that are loved by the locals.
Taro-an and Nagato-ya sell many other attractive sweets in addition to the products introduced this time.

Taking your time to consider souvenirs at the store is one of the joys of traveling to Aizu!