Japanese Sweets: Manju Steamed Cake with 5 Flavors - Matcha, Chestnut, Milk, Sweet Red Beans & White Kidney Beans and Soba) 18 Pcs

Many Japanese confections have versions that are filled with a paste (dry jam) made of a sweet red bean called adzuki. Adzuki beans are cultivated throughout East Asia. Sometimes, another flavor is mixed into the paste such as milk, matcha (green tea), chestnuts, etc. A few confections such as manju have been paired with hot green tea in Japan since the 13th century. 18 pieces, 5 varieties. Descriptions on the back of the package are in quotes here: 2 桃山 (Momoyama), red and white bean-jam dumpling, "Melt-in-your-mouth red and white bean paste wrapped in a refined baked manju (yeast bun)." 2 栗まん (chestnut bean-jam dumpling), "Baked manju with chopped chestnut paste." (dark outer surface) 4 乳菓 (milk-based candy filling), "Refined baked manju with a subdued sweetness of milk flavor." (elongated shape) 5 そばまんじゅう (soba (buckwheat) steamed bun), "Bite-sized manju where the buckwheat flour flavor enhances the deliciousness." (orange stripe on wrapper) 5 抹茶まんじゅう (matcha (green tea) steamed bun), "Bite-sized manju where the aroma of matcha fills your mouth." (green stripe on wrapper) The size of each piece is 2 to 3 cm across and 1 cm thick. Each piece is individually wrapped. I don't understand why the package I received has a P65 warning on the sticker with the translated nutrition information. All of the ingredients except milk and eggs are from plants and are common in pastries. They are moderately soft and chewy. The outside is dry to the touch like cake or bread. I like the taste of these a lot. As far as snack foods go, these are above-average quality. I wish they were larger, but this is a sample pack. I'll buy a pack of larger ones in a single flavor next time. In the hexagon, it reads: 味の銘作 (Aji no Meisaku, Masterpiece of Flavor) 上品な甘さ (refined sweetness) 優雅な味わい (elegant flavor) 日本茶によくあう銘菓のとり合わせ (An assortment of famous sweets that go well with Japanese tea) "Allergy information: Contains soybean, wheat, egg, and milk." Soybeans are not in the ingredients, but they might use soybean vegetable oil, or the factory might also processes soybeans. "Caution: This package contains an oxygen absorber bag to preserve freshness. This absorber is not edible. Discard it after opening the outer bag. Keep out of reach of children." That's in red text on the back. "Storage precautions: Store in a cool place away from direct sunlight, high temperatures, and humidity. Also, since no preservatives are used, once the outer bag is opened, store in the refrigerator and consume within two days." That's in black text on the back. 菓子庵丸京 (Confectionary Marukyo-Seika). That's the bakery. They specialize in dorayaki (bean-jam pancake buns). Their website lists other products.

Perfect tasting and amazing variety- I went through these so fast! Super fresh feeling as well!

They are an acquired taste if you aren’t used Asian treats but they are really tasty. The filling is adequate and they aren’t too dry. The texture was a little too hard for my brain to understand or even explain, but i didn’t dislike them.

Grreat Japanese food! If you want to try Japanese food, buy this and try it! If you know Japanese food and want some, buy this! They are tiny, cute, and delicious! FYI: If you are not familiar with Japanese sweets, they are not too sweet. Japanese desserts are mildly sweet which is very different from American sweets. So, if you have never had them, be prepared for a mild sweet taste unlike American desserts which are overly sweet and sugary. Makes me miss Japan even more!

They are a fun try however you’ve got to really have the tastebuds for them. I wasn’t a fan of the consistency or the flavor of any of them but they are packaged well, somewhat fresh. There is a whiteout spot in the photos of the outer packaging, this is a label for P65 warning. I wouldn’t have bought had I seen it but they have blocked it out when picturing the nutritional labels on the back, so be aware of that if you buy. Overall wouldn’t purchase again but was definitely a neat thing to taste.

A little memory of home, I enjoyed sharing these with my daughter. Very tasty, bread not hard or stale, still fresh and well taken care of.

Avery good product to be worthwhile 100%.

Usually really like these, but this time they seemed old. The fillings had long begun to crystallize, and the outsides looked extra dry. The steamed bun was wrinkled on top. I tried to find an expiration date, but could not locate it anywhere, so I can't even say whether or not the product was in date or not. Sadly, they're going into the trash, and I don't think I'll be able to trust getting them again.