Yoshiwara Denchu is a Mito local confection said to have originated when Yoshiwara, a lady-in-waiting during the time of Tokugawa Nariaki, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain, dried and toasted leftover cooked rice and coated it with roasted soybean flour (kinako) so as not to waste it. According to legend, Nariaki, who valued frugality, was so fond of the confection that he named it 'Yoshiwara Denchu' after the lady-in-waiting who created it. It is characterized by its simple flavor: rice arare (crackers) made from glutinous rice are hardened with starch syrup, shaped into sticks, coated generously with kinako, and wrapped in edible rice paper (oblate); it continues to be made by confectionery shops within Mito City. A trademark application was filed in 1963, and today it is one of Mito's signature confections, made only by shops belonging to the Mito Confectionery Industry Cooperative Association, which alone are permitted to use the name 'Yoshiwara Denchu.'
Origin
In the late Edo period, during the time of Tokugawa Nariaki, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain, it is said that a lady-in-waiting named Yoshiwara, not wanting to waste leftover cooked rice, dried and toasted the grains and coated them with kinako, creating this confection. Nariaki, who valued frugality and simplicity, is said to have been so fond of it that he named it 'Yoshiwara Denchu' after the woman who devised it, a story that survives to this day.
History
The recipe was subsequently passed down through confectionery shops in Mito City; a trademark application was filed in October 1963 and the trademark was registered in January 1965. Today, only confectionery shops belonging to the Mito Confectionery Industry Cooperative Association are permitted to manufacture and sell products under the name 'Yoshiwara Denchu,' and it has been passed down as one of Mito's representative traditional confections.
Features
It is characterized by its simple flavor: arare (rice crackers) made from glutinous rice are hardened with starch syrup and shaped into long, thin sticks, generously coated with kinako, and wrapped in edible rice paper (oblate). The crisp texture of the arare, the gentle sweetness of the starch syrup, and the fragrant aroma of the kinako come together, and because it keeps well, it is also popular as a gift-worthy Ibaraki souvenir.
Main Ingredients
Famous Shops
亀印製菓（亀じるし）
茨城県水戸市見川町2139-5
A Mito confectionery shop founded in 1852. Yoshiwara Denchu is sold in packs of 6 for around 1,080 yen (tax included).
View details →FAQ
Q. Where does the name 'Yoshiwara Denchu' come from?
A. It is said to be named after Yoshiwara, the lady-in-waiting who devised the confection during the time of Tokugawa Nariaki, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain. 'Denchu' refers to the interior of a lord's residence, such as Edo Castle.