Hasekura-yaki
In the UK, the more you go to remote areas, the more you can find a lot of local and unique shops. But I feel there are not so many local souvenirs of confectioneries compared with Japan. Perhaps it's because of a cultural difference. Japanese people love to buy souvenirs to family, co-workers or friends. When they travel to somewhere, even if it's on a business trip, they often enjoy buying souvenirs. Actually, there are a lot of local unique food, confectioneries, snacks and bento boxes, because of competition for sales to travellers. If you travel to different cities or towns, you can find different products, which normally you can't buy at other places.
In the UK, some family-run companies - like jams from Wilkin & Sons Ltd of Tiptree or clotted cream from Rodda's - have succeeded in their business and have experienced large-scale expansion. That's really wonderful. But, consequently, you can see their products all over the UK. When I think about more uniqueness and local-based specialisation, I think there might be still more potential for Japanese-style local products and sales in the UK. Something like 'if you visit here, you can't miss to buy or to eat' things.
As for Sendai, my hometown, the popular sweet 'hagi-no-tsuki' is the most famous. It is a lovely sweet. The original custard cream is wrapped by a soft sponge cake. There are similar products, but this is one of the most famous souvenirs in Sendai.
However, my favourite confectionery in Sendai is 'Hasekura-yaki', which is sold by the company Fujiya Senshu. I've loved this yummy sweet since I was young. Sweet and white azuki-beans paste with chestnuts are wrapped in soft skin of sable. They are still handmade one by one. On the skin there is a Kanji letter 'hasekura-yaki'. The name Hasekura-yaki came from the person Hasekura Stunenaga (1571-1622), who was a Japanese samurai and the first diplomat from Sendai, Japan to visit Spain, France, Italy and the Vatican.
Unfortunately, these confectioneries don’t keep long... so I can't bring this back home. Every time I go back to Sendai, my mother buys this for us, so I can enjoy this confectionery. Ah, I really miss it, just only thinking about it.
In the UK, some family-run companies - like jams from Wilkin & Sons Ltd of Tiptree or clotted cream from Rodda's - have succeeded in their business and have experienced large-scale expansion. That's really wonderful. But, consequently, you can see their products all over the UK. When I think about more uniqueness and local-based specialisation, I think there might be still more potential for Japanese-style local products and sales in the UK. Something like 'if you visit here, you can't miss to buy or to eat' things.
As for Sendai, my hometown, the popular sweet 'hagi-no-tsuki' is the most famous. It is a lovely sweet. The original custard cream is wrapped by a soft sponge cake. There are similar products, but this is one of the most famous souvenirs in Sendai.
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| haginotsuki Source; http://www.sanzen.co.jp/english/index.html |
Unfortunately, these confectioneries don’t keep long... so I can't bring this back home. Every time I go back to Sendai, my mother buys this for us, so I can enjoy this confectionery. Ah, I really miss it, just only thinking about it.
 |
| Source;http://www.s-pal.jp.e.yf.hp.transer.com |
