Honma Co., Ltd. "Tsukisamu Anpan"

Tsukisamu Anpan is one of Hokkaido’s signature sweets, made by Honma Co., Ltd., a long-established Japanese confectionery maker founded in 1906. The sweet was created by founder Yosaburo Honma after learning from Jinzaburo Onuma, who had developed his own mooncake-like manju inspired by the “sakura anpan” popular in Tokyo at the time. It has been the company’s signature product since its founding and has remained loved for 120 years.

Although it is called “anpan,” it is different from the soft, fluffy bread people usually imagine. Its distinctive style features a thin outer layer packed with sweet bean paste. In addition to the standard smooth red bean filling, it comes in seven varieties: brown sugar, pumpkin, black sesame, matcha, chocolate, and coffee. The ingredients are carefully selected, with Hokkaido-grown wheat used for the dough, Hokkaido azuki beans for the smooth red bean filling, and Hokkaido pumpkin for the pumpkin filling. It has a satisfyingly weighty feel, and even one is quite filling. Since each one is individually wrapped and keeps well, it is an ideal souvenir.