Sakuma drops
are a
hard candy from
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, flavored with
real fruit juice. The candies are an easily recognizable icon in Japan as they have been available since the
Meiji period from 1908.
Products
The candies are sold in 4-by-3.5 inch
tin cans with a tin pull cap. Sakuma tins are considered
collectible
A collectable (collectible or collector's item) is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector. Collectable items are not necessarily monetarily valuable or uncommon. There are numerous types of collectables and terms t ...
items, as the design frequently changes.
History
The candy was originally made by , based in
Ikebukuro
is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits. It is considered the second largest ...
,
Tokyo in 1908. The company ceased production during
World War 2 due to the sugar shortages. After the war, employees of the original company founded two new companies that continued making the candy, one using the original name and a second also called Sakuma Candy (サクマ製菓), but written in
katakana instead of
kanji. The second company owns the trademark to the name "Sakuma Drops" and sells their candy as such in green cans, while the original used the name "Sakuma's Drops" () and red tins.
On 9 November 2022 the original company announced they would cease operations on 20 January 2023.
In popular culture
Sakuma drops are best known in
the West from their appearance in the 1988
anime film , as it played a prominent motif in the film. Commemorative tins resembling the one depicted in the film and featuring an image of one of the main characters, Setsuko, have been released several times over the years.
References
External links
Sakuma SeikaSakuma Seika
Brand name confectionery
Japanese brand foods
Products introduced in 1908
{{confection-stub
