Oiwake Yokan is a steamed yokan wrapped in bamboo sheath, made by 追分羊かん本店 in Oiwake, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The shop is said to have been founded in 1695 (Genroku 8). It stands on the outskirts of Ejiri-juku post town on the old Tokaido, at the fork (oiwake) where the Kuno road branches off toward Kunozan. Beloved by travelers coming and going on the Tokaido, it has been handed down as a specialty of the highway for more than 300 years. Because azuki bean paste mixed with glutinous rice is wrapped in bamboo sheath and steamed, the fragrance of the bamboo transfers to it. It has a distinctive sticky, smooth texture and a simple taste with restrained sweetness. Another distinctive feature is that it is cut with a knife through the bamboo sheath, and the sheath is peeled off before eating. It is also said to have been a favorite of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of the Edo shogunate. It is also one of the component cultural properties of the Japan Heritage story themed on travel along the Tokaido, 'Yaji-san and Kita-san, Who Started Japan's First Travel Boom: A Journey through Sunshu.'
Origin
According to a story handed down at the shop, around the time of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Edo shogunate, the master of the 府川家 household cared for a monk from Ming China who had fallen ill while traveling in the mountains of Hakone. Having recovered, the monk is said to have passed on the method for making a confection using azuki beans as a token of gratitude. This was the beginning of Oiwake Yokan, and the shop is said to have been founded in 1695 (Genroku 8) at the oiwake (fork in the road) of Ejiri-juku. It is also said that the first-generation owner ran a sugar-making business.
History
Oiwake was the place where the Tokaido and the road to Kunozan diverged, and the yokan was cherished as a souvenir by travelers on the highway. The shop has carried on this yokan as a specialty along the route of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido, depicted in ukiyo-e by Utagawa Hiroshige. Tokugawa Yoshinobu, who lived in Shizuoka after the Meiji Restoration, is said to have particularly favored this yokan and often enjoyed it. In fiscal 2020 (Reiwa 2), a Japan Heritage story linking the post towns and specialties of the Tokaido in Shizuoka City and other areas was recognized, and Oiwake Yokan became one of its component cultural properties.
Features
Glutinous rice is mixed into bean paste made from Hokkaido azuki beans, which is then wrapped in bamboo sheath and steamed. Wrapping in bamboo sheath and steaming is said to have a sterilizing effect and to transfer the bamboo's fragrance to the yokan, enhancing its flavor. It is characterized by a distinctive sticky, smooth texture and a simple taste with restrained sweetness. Because it is vacuum-packed after steaming, moisture remains, and its firmness may change depending on the season.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Oiwake Yokan spread as a souvenir for people traveling the Tokaido. It is still cherished today as a representative souvenir of Shimizu. Its unique way of eating, cutting it with a knife through the bamboo sheath and peeling off the sheath, is also one of its time-honored pleasures.
Famous Shops
追分羊かん本店
静岡県静岡市清水区追分2-13-21
A long-established shop said to have been founded in 1695 (Genroku 8), standing at the fork between Ejiri-juku on the old Tokaido and the Kuno road. In addition to the traditional Oiwake Yokan wrapped in bamboo sheath, it also sells yokan mixed with chopped chestnuts. There is also another branch, 大曲店, in Shimizu Ward.
View details →| 追分羊かん (bagged) | The classic Oiwake Yokan, wrapped in bamboo sheath and steamed, with a content of 270 g per stick. It can be purchased by mail order on the official website starting from about 1,650 yen per stick. The shop advises cutting it through the bamboo sheath and eating it as soon as possible. |
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| 追分ようかん きざみ栗入り (with chopped chestnuts) | A steamed yokan with plenty of finely chopped chestnuts mixed in, with a content of 340 g. There is also a two-stick set that pairs one of these with one classic Oiwake Yokan, letting you compare the two. |
FAQ
Q. How should Oiwake Yokan be cut?
A. Cut it with a knife through the bamboo sheath while it is still wrapped, then peel off the sheath and eat. Because it is vacuum-packed after steaming, moisture remains, but this is said to pose no problem for quality. Occasionally, fibers from the bamboo sheath may get into the yokan; in that case, remove them before eating.