Dig Japan vol.37 “Karinto (かりんとう)”
Dig Japan is a series in which I research and introduce in English topics related to traditional Japanese culture that interest me. In this article, I will introduce karinto.
Karinto is wagashi made by kneading flour, sugar, salt, water, and a leavening agent, frying it in vegetable oil, coating it with brown or white sugar, and then drying it. There are various theories but its origin dates back to the Nara period, and the prototype of today was created in the Edo period. Karinto differs depending on the region, and we can enjoy the variations.
The basic method for making karinto is to mix ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, and water with a leavening agent, fry in vegetable oil, coat with brown or white sugar, and then dry. There are broadly two types, black and white, and the difference is whether or not brown sugar is used.
Brown sugar has a strong aroma, so black karinto differ only in shape, being thick or thin. On the other hand, white karinto uses refined sugar, which brings out the flavor of various ingredients and is used for a variety of tastes. According to the National Yuka Industry Cooperative Association, more than 60% of karinto sales are made with brown sugar, making karinto a typical sweet made with brown sugar.
There are many theories about the origin of karinto, and it is unclear, but one theory is that it was introduced from China during the Nara period (710-784), and that karinto was made by kneading rice and flour, deep-frying it, and seasoning it with amazura. This basic method of kneading and deep-frying is said to have been the beginning of karinto, and it was popular among the upper class.
Later, during the Edo period, it spread to the Kanto region, and during the Tenpo era, Yamaguchiya Kichibei in Fukagawa, Edo, started selling it under the name “karinto,” which quickly became popular. Karinto shops also appeared in Edo's downtown area, and at one time it is said that there were as many as 200 karinto shops.
In the early Meiji period, it also became popular among the common people of Asakusa, Tokyo, and in 1898, Iida-ya in Nakamise, Asakusa, kneaded wheat flour, fried it in oil, coated it with brown sugar and sold it in its storefront, which became so popular that it spread throughout the downtown area and then all over Japan.
Since then, karinto has come in various shapes and flavors over the years, and today, karinto made from a mixture of various ingredients such as sesame, matcha, soybeans, buckwheat flour, peanuts, green and yellow vegetables, root vegetables, calcium from eggshells, etc. Yaki-karinto, made by baking the dough and smearing it with syrup made from brown sugar, is also available commercially.
Karinto varies by region. In the Kanto region, karinto is made by fermenting the dough for a longer period, so it is relatively soft and light, and sometimes white sugar is used for the syrup. It was originally popular as a sweet for the upper class, and became the prototype of modern high-grade karinto. On the other hand, in the Kansai region, the dough is kneaded harder, so the texture is relatively hard. In the Himeji region, it is called “Banshu dagashi” and developed as an inexpensive sweet.
In the Tohoku region, there is even more variety: in the northern coastal area of Iwate Prefecture, the dough is fried in a disk-like shape like rice crackers. In Akita Prefecture, it is processed into strips and sometimes seasoned with a mixture of miso and sugar. In Miyagi Prefecture, it is a specialty of the Iwadeyama district of Osaki City (formerly Iwadeyama Town, Tamatsukuri district), and is sold in the prefecture not only in bags but also in one-ton cans.
This article was written by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨, working as a freelance translator and PR for overseas apparel brands in Japan, with the aim of broadening her own knowledge of traditional Japanese culture and spreading it to the world.
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