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

When traveling to Fukushima Prefecture, one thing that can be difficult is finding souvenirs

The reason is that Fukushima has three regions, Hamadori, Nakadori, and Aizu, which have completely different appearances, so it's difficult to find souvenirs that are truly "Fukushima Prefecture." However, buying souvenirs that borrow the names of other local specialties, such as "Byakkotai XX," would make me feel like I'm losing out

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Recommended souvenirs from the Aizu region!

So, in this article, we will introduce some recommended souvenir sweets from the Aizu region! If you want to give a gift of Aizu's famous sweets, be sure to check this out!

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Taroan Sweets Storehouse "Taro Imo"

First, we will introduce the famous confectionery "Taro Imo," which is said to be the origin of "Okashi no Kura Taroan," which opened in 1949

As you can imagine from its appearance that resembles a sweet potato, Taro Imo has been a famous confectionery that has been made in the image of a sweet potato since the company was founded. The sweet potato skin, which is recreated using wheat and cocoa powder, is so faithfully recreated that you might mistake it for the skin of a baked sweet potato!

It will surprise and impress anyone who eats it!

The filling is made with Naruto Kintoki "Sato Musume" sweet potatoes from Tokushima, which are slowly steamed in a steamer, and has a perfect balance of moderate sweetness and sweet potato flavor! The small pieces of sweet potato remain, adding an accent to the texture

In addition to the taste, the reason for sticking to Tokushima products is the connection between Tokushima and Aizu

Matsue Toyohisa, the eldest son of a former Aizu samurai, was appointed director of the Bando POW Camp in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. During World War I, Matsue believed that POWs were "patriots, not criminals," and so he rebelled against the treatment of POWs by the Japanese Army at the time, publicly declaring that they should be treated humanely, and allowed German soldiers to act freely in the camp

As a result, there was active exchange between the citizens of Naruto and Germans, and a German pavilion was built in Naruto. In addition, Aizuwakamatsu and Naruto, which has ties to Matsue, became friendship cities in October 1999

By the way, this is a limited edition product for autumn and winter, so be careful when purchasing!

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Nagatoya "Kurumi Yubeshi Hanayuki"

Next, we will introduce "Kurumi Yubeshi," a popular souvenir from the Tohoku region

Walnut yubeshi is a beloved specialty sweet throughout the Tohoku region, but Nagatoya's "Hanayuki" is a particularly delicious and popular yubeshi!

The chewy texture is one of its charms, but the secret to its deliciousness is the chunky walnuts. In fact, Aizu is a hidden walnut producing area!

They have less astringency and bitterness than commonly available Western walnuts, making them flavorful, so even children can eat them up! Because they're less bitter, they're also less sweet, so they're recommended for those who don't like sweet things!

Hanayuki, which uses plenty of these walnuts, is the perfect snack to have with tea!

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Nagatoya "Aizu Okiagari Monaka"

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

Speaking of Okiagari Koboshi, it is one of Aizu's local toys. We would like to introduce you to Okiagari Monaka, a monaka that recreates this Okiagari Koboshi!

This monaka is a sweet with a skin shaped like a kiagari koboshi doll, filled with koshian (smooth bean paste) made with wasanbon sugar and peach paste made with generous amounts of Fukushima peaches. The fun part is making it yourself!

It's easy to make! Just fill both the top and bottom of the small doll-shaped skin with bean paste and combine them! Then, all you have to do is enjoy it! You can eat it fresh from the skin, so you can enjoy the crispy texture!

Kids will be thrilled to make and play with it while eating!

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summary

Aizu is a popular tourist destination in Fukushima! While there are many souvenirs that piggyback on local specialties, if you're going to give a gift, we recommend a famous confectionery loved by locals.
Taroan and Nagatoya sell many other appealing sweets in addition to the products introduced here.

One of the joys of traveling to Aizu is taking your time to consider souvenirs at the store!

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