Unique texture! Marutaya Shoten (Kubiki Ward, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture), where “fu manju” (wheat gluten buns) are a must-try!

2024.3.13

Marutaya Shoten

Marutaya is located about a 3-minute walk from the Joetsu City Kubiki Ward General Office in Niigata Prefecture. Founded in 1868, the confectionery store has a history of about 150 years, and the building gives a somewhat nostalgic feeling.

In the store, there are not only Japanese sweets but also Western sweets.

The store’s sign says “sweet party and spicy Party”. The “sweet party” refers to Japanese and Western sweets, while the “spicy party” refers to sweets containing alcohol and local sake, and the store carries a large selection of local sake.

The store originally sold a variety of goods, including confections, seasonings, and miscellaneous goods, but was converted into a Japanese confectionery about 80 years ago.

The store focuses on homemade red bean paste, which is handmade from domestic beans.

The red bean paste is made from azuki and dainagon azuki beans produced in Hokkaido. The white bean paste is also made using ootebo, a type of kidney bean produced in Hokkaido.

Azuki beans soaked in water overnight are boiled in a steam pot for about two hours, and the water is squeezed out to produce a state called “nama-an” (raw bean paste). Sugar and syrup are then added and kneaded.

We vary the amount of sugar and syrup and the kneading time to adjust the taste and hardness. We use hard and soft dough depending on the type of pastry we are making.

Fu-manju 150 yen per piece (tax included)

The store’s most popular product is its popular fu manju. Although it is popular as a summer sweet, the store manufactures it year-round and sells it frozen.

The chewy and slippery texture and elegant flavor of anko (red bean paste) can be enjoyed by people not only from the neighborhood but also from far away. Some people even bring their own cooler boxes and buy 200 at once because they are frozen.

According to the store, the best way to eat frozen fu manju is to let it thaw naturally for two to three hours.

Smooth pudding from a Japanese confectionery shop 240 yen (tax included)

Another specialty of Marutaya is “Wagashiya’s Smooth Pudding,” a local favorite for more than 20 years.

It is made with plenty of milk and cream, and steamed slowly over a long period of time to achieve an exquisite softness. It is rich but not too sweet, and the caramel adds a savory flavor. 27 pieces per day are available in limited quantities. If you want to try it, buy it as soon as possible.

Fu manju” and “Smooth pudding” are the specialties of this Japanese confectionery that has been familiar to the local people of Kubiki. You can enjoy the gentle taste that naturally brings a smile to your face.

Representative Mr. Maruta
We make anko (red bean paste) using domestically produced ingredients. Please come and taste the bean paste. We look forward to seeing you.