''Sake Manjū'' (''Saka Manjū/'' 酒饅頭) is a type of traditional Japanese confectionery (''

wagashi is traditional Japanese confectionery, typically made using plant-based ingredients and with an emphasis on seasonality. ''Wagashi'' generally makes use of cooking methods that pre-date Western influence in Japan. It is often served with green ...

'') characterized by its fermented dough, which is made using ingredients such as sake lees ('' sakekasu'') or a fermentation starter similar to sweet sake (''

amazake is a traditional sweet, low-alcohol or non-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. ''Amazake'' dates from the Kofun period, and it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. It is part of the family of traditional Japanese foods made using ...

''). It is consumed throughout

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, with particular regional prominence in areas such as

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

and the

Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, , or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku retains ...

Overview

Sake Manjū is made by fermenting a dough composed primarily of wheat flour, sugar, rice malt ('' kōji''), and fermentation agents such as ''Sakedane'' or '' sakekasu''. Once the dough has naturally risen through fermentation, it is steamed to produce a soft and chewy texture. The resulting confection is noted for its fragrant aroma, derived from the fermentation process, though it does not contain alcohol. While Sake Manjū is enjoyed nationwide, it is particularly associated with regions such as Ōita,

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

, and Kumamoto Prefectures in

, as well as various parts of the

. Regional variations exist: for example, in southern Kyushu and

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

, the dough may incorporate

brown sugar Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content or produced by t ...

. The most common filling is smooth

red bean paste Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki bean paste or ''anko'' (a Japanese word), is a paste made of red beans (also called "adzuki beans"), used in East Asian cuisine. The paste is prepared by boiling the beans, then mashing or ...

(''koshian''), though other varieties such as chestnut paste, white bean paste, or even miso-based fillings can be found depending on the locale. Sake Manjū is also noted for having inspired the development of ''

anpan is a Japanese sweet roll most commonly filled with red bean paste. Anpan can also be prepared with other fillings, including white beans (''shiro-an''), green beans (''uguisu-an''), sesame (''goma-an''), and chestnuts (''kuri-an''). History ...

'', a popular Japanese sweet bun filled with red bean paste.

History

The origins of ''Sake Manjū'' in Japan are believed to date back to the

Kamakura , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...

(1185–1333) and

Muromachi The , also known as the , is a division of History of Japan, Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Ashikaga shogunate, Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially establ ...

(1336–1573) periods. While it is thought to have gradually spread throughout the country during these eras, its precise origins remain unclear due to the existence of numerous regional traditions and varying local accounts. As a result, no single definitive theory has been established. Historically, ''Sake Manjū'' was valued as an accessible confection for the general populace, particularly from the medieval period onward. It was commonly consumed during seasonal festivals such as

Tango no Sekku , also known as , originally referred to an annual ceremony held at the Japanese imperial court on May 5. It was one of the five annual court ceremonies called . Since the Kamakura period (1185–1333), when the samurai class seized power, has ...

(Children's Day in May),

Obon or just is a fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ance ...

, and local festivals, as well as during breaks from agricultural work. In particular, freshly steamed ''manjū'' was favored in winter months, as its warmth was believed to help heat the body. Today, ''Sake Manjū'' remains widely available across

and is commonly sold in supermarkets. It continues to be enjoyed as a classic example of traditional Japanese confectionery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sake Manju Wagashi