Dig Japan vol.32 “Boro (ぼうろ)”

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 boro.

Boro is wagashi made by baking a dough made from flour, eggs, sugar, and honey. With its roots in nanbangashi (European sweets) that were introduced in the 16th century, boro has developed uniquely in Japan. There are three main types, of which the most famous are “Maru-boro” from Saga, “Tamago-boro” from the Kanto region, and “Soba-boro” from Kyoto.

A wagashi confectioner based in Saga, Kitajima's maru-boro (Photography via Kitajima)

Its origin lies in nanbangashi “Bolo” that was introduced to Japan from Portugal in the 16th century. Bolo is a Portuguese word that refers to cakes and other sweets, and does not refer to a specific thing. Among the various nanbangashi introduced to Japan at that time, there was a hard cookie-like sweet that did not yet contain eggs or baking soda, and it is said that the Japanese called it “Boro.” 

Modern boro has been improved over the years to suit Japanese tastes by adding new ingredients such as eggs, honey, and baking soda. Initially, eggs were not used, but later sesame and soybeans were used, and the shape was made to resemble a crown or flower petals, and it became known as “Hana-boro,” according to the Komonsai. However, because it was time-consuming to shape, hana-boro gradually fell out of production.

In modern Japan, boro may also be made from wheat flour, buckwheat flour, or potato starch, and is generally light and crispy, melting in the mouth, although some are baked moister, similar to castella. Over time, its variety has expanded, for instance, “Maru-boro,” from Saga, “Tamago-boro,” from the Kanto region, and “Soba-boro” from Kyoto.

A wagashi confectioner based in Kyoto, Kawamichiya's soba-boro (Photography via Kawamichiya)

Maru-boro is disc-shaped and brown in color, made by mixing flour with eggs, sugar, honey, baking soda, etc., cutting out the dough, and baking it in an oven. It has a moist texture and a castella-like aroma. Tamago-boro is a general term for small, spherical boro, also known as “Chichi-boro.” It uses potatoes as the main ingredient and adds sugar, eggs, and milk, and solidified into a ball shape. It melts in the mouth, making it a snack that even babies who are still on weaning food can eat.

Soba-boro is a famous Kyoto sweet that was developed in the early Meiji period. It is made primarily from buckwheat flour, baked in the shape of a plum blossom with a hole in the center. It is characterized by its buckwheat flavor and a crispy texture that can be described as a Japanese cookie.

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.