Throughout Japan, there are traditional local snacks (specialties) that are limited to each region. Therefore, if you don’t eat these foods when you visit a place, it feels like you haven’t really been there. Luckily, the hotel provides this snack. This time, I tried the traditional snack from Mie Prefecture called “YASUNAGAMOCHI”. Just hearing the name makes you feel like you’re eating something that brings peace and safety. The hotel also provides tea bags, and next to them is a sencha tea.
This long and seemingly not very delicious-looking dish costs about ￥105.
When opened, the exterior appears a bit rough.
Split it open with your hands, and inside you’ll find red bean paste.
Distinct red beans
Open up the belly and take a look, it’s still filled with red beans.
Actually, many places sell this popular YASUNAGAMOCHI base. One of these places is located in NabanaNoSato. They also have a dedicated store.
If there is one serving, there are two slices. When the shop delivers it, it is freshly baked and has a warm texture.
This YASUNAGAMOCHI is quite delicious, but because it is made with red bean paste, it tastes similar to other red bean cakes. The only difference is the texture of the outer layer, which is quite coarse and not as delicate as traditional Japanese wagashi. Unlike those, this cake cannot be eaten directly after being kneaded, but needs to be grilled on an iron plate. This aspect is quite unique. It also has a bit of chewiness when eaten.
For more information on transportation, attractions, and food in Mie Prefecture, please refer to the page on the Chubu region of Japan.
Additional Information:
YASUNAGAMOCHI – a specialty of Kuwana-shi in Mie Prefecture. The one I tried was made by YASUNAGAMOCHI, a long-established shop called “NAGAMOCHIYAROUHO”. It was founded in 1634, so it has a history of almost 500 years~
Reference:
Official website of NAGAMOCHIYAROUHO
『Original Source：https://nicklee.tw/1047/』
