Karukan A White Sweet Fragrant with Yam

Karukan is a celebrated Kagoshima sweet, made by combining grated mountain yam, rice flour, and sugar, then steaming the mixture. The white, fluffy dough is fine grained and carries the faint fragrance unique to yam. A version wrapped around sweet bean paste, called karukan manju, is also popular and has long been cherished as a souvenir.

Highlights

A moist mouthfeel and a refined, restrained sweetness are its virtues. Freshly steamed the dough trembles softly, and even once cool its fine grain stays the same. Humble yet requiring real care to make, a single piece beside your tea is enough to settle the heart.

History and Origins

Karukan was once a lords confection, enjoyed in the households of feudal lords who could use the then precious sugar freely. It is said that confectioners were invited from Edo to refine it, and the sweet is closely linked to Shimazu Nariakira, known as a wise lord of the late Edo period. Written with characters meaning light yokan, its name is said to come from how steaming gives it a light finish. It became widely beloved among ordinary people only from the Meiji era onward.

Enjoying the Seasons

It pairs with hot tea in winter, and in the hot season chilling it slightly is a fine idea. It is served at celebrations and to welcome guests, a broad hearted sweet that suits any season or occasion.

Access and Basic Information

You can find it at confectionery and souvenir shops around Kagoshima Chuo Station and Tenmonkan. At long established specialty shops, pieces close to freshly steamed are sometimes lined up at the counter. It is also widely stocked at the souvenir arcade in Kagoshima Chuo Station and at airport shops, which makes it easy to buy in one go at the end of your trip.

Practical Travel Notes

Because the dough holds a lot of moisture, plain karukan without bean paste keeps for a relatively short time. To carry it far, choose individually wrapped items with a longer shelf life, or the bean filled karukan manju, for peace of mind. Prices run from a few hundred yen per piece, with assortments in the range of a thousand yen and up. In summer avoid high heat and take it home soon after buying to preserve the flavor. There is both a bar type served in slices and a bite sized individually wrapped type, so choose to suit your recipient or the number of people.

A Quick Tip

Start with a plain karukan without bean paste, so you can clearly taste the yam fragrance and the dough itself. Its match with green tea is exceptional. If you are buying it as a gift, check the best before date before you choose.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season: According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Local Cuisine," it is eaten all year round, but autumn and winter, when the yams used to make it are in season, are said to be when it tastes best. It is made throughout the prefecture.
• Public facilities where you can buy it: Kagoshima Brand Shop (2nd floor, Yokado Kagoshima Main Building, 6-6 Kinsei-cho, Kagoshima) / 10:00-18:00. Closed on the second Tuesday of each month and over the New Year period. Telephone 099-225-6120. Run by the Kagoshima Prefecture Special Products Association, it carries around 1,600 items at all times, including traditional confectionery.
• Access: A 1-minute walk from the Izuro-dori tram stop.
• The main store of a long-established maker: Akashiya Main Store (4-16 Kinsei-cho, Kagoshima) / 9:00-18:00, telephone 099-226-0431. There is no car park.

* Opening hours and prices vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Karukan, Kagoshima Prefecture"; Kagoshima Prefecture Special Products Association official website; Akashiya official website, "Main Store")

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information for Kagoshima Prefecture together with information published by each shop. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check the official information of each shop for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: Individually wrapped pieces and boxed sets are affordable, and it also makes a gift
• Where to buy it: Confectionery shops, souvenir shops and airports across Kagoshima Prefecture
• Best time of year: Available all year round. Good with a cup of tea
• Avoiding the crowds: Easy to pick up as a souvenir
• Enjoy it with: Karukan manju, a cup of tea or coffee, and other Kagoshima wagashi