Ichigo Daifuku

Strawberry Big Fortune Rice Cake or a rice cake filled with sweet bean paste and a strawberry

In the latter period of Showa (1926 - 1989), an unusual Daifuku appeared in the market. Called Ichigo Daifuku (Daifuku with a strawberry), the bizarre combination of An and strawberry looked for some people, including myself, was a bad idea, the abuse of foodstuff, a failure case, and therefore, doomed to vanish from shop shelves. But see what has happened! As a star item in many Japanese sweets shops, it sells like hotcakes, encouraging the production of various other fruity types. Just as the proof of the pudding, when you try, you’ll appreciate the delight it gives. Despite the theory that the full-bodied sweetness of An and the sour-sweetness of strawberry would kill each other, they complement, creating a refreshing melody of combined tastes. What a success, and who invented this? Many companies claim their firsts, but “who” may not matter so much as its savour.

Ichigo Daifuku split into half.

A juicy strawberry exquisitely harmonized with An.

Ichigo Daifuku split into half. A juicy strawberry exquisitely harmonized with An.