Everyone who is familiar with Ghibli films, you've probably seen some delicious-looking Japanese sweets and wondered what they are. Two years ago, I came across one such treat called 'シベリア' while watching Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Wind Rises.' In the movie, the main character enjoys Siberia, which is like a sandwich made with red bean paste and yokan between castella cakes. It looked so good and brought back a sense of nostalgia that I had to try it myself. When I think of Japanese sweets the photo below comes to mind, the girl below appears in anime too.
When the movie was released, there was a shop San Rosa (currently closed) which sold about 100 pieces a day of Siberia, and there were times when they couldn't keep up with production. It's incredible how Ghibli movies can have such a strong influence on our cravings and curiosity. If you're familiar with Japanese sweets or 'wagashi', you'll know they use rice and red or white bean paste. It's quite different from where I come from, where using beans in sweets is quite uncommon.Therefore, today I would like to share with you how sugar found its way into Japan and explore some of the sweet treats we've come across in anime, like Castella, Konpeiko, and Siberia.
But before we dive into Japan's sugar history, let's take a quick journey through sugar's global odyssey.
Sugar's origins are often traced back to India. The English term for sugar is said to have originated from the ancient Indian Sanskrit word 'SARCARA.' References to sugar can be found in Indian Buddhist scriptures dating back to around the 5th century BC. In 327 B.C., King Alexander of Macedonia at the time recorded in his expedition to India, “There are reeds that produce a juice as sweet as honey”, and “There are sweet stones that break when you bite.” It is assumed that the former refers to sugar cane and the latter refers to sugar.
Cane and sugar from India were introduced to Persia (present-day Iran) and Egypt in the west, and China in the east. A description of the spread of sugar from India to the East can be found in the “Travels from the East” written by Marco Polo, an Italian merchant who visited China in the 13th century. It seems that sugar was already being produced in China around the 5th century, and Marco Polo is said to have been surprised by it. Then, in the 17th century, the Dutch started a sugar industry in Taiwan and Java, and it spread to the Philippines, Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii.
Sugar was introduced to Japan in the 8th century, during the Nara period. There is a theory that it was brought from China by Ganjin, a monk from China who was the founder of Toshodaiji Temple in Nara, and another that it was brought back by envoys sent to Tang Dynasty at the time, but this is not certain. However, in the “Various Yakucho”, a catalog of medicines offered to the Great Buddha kept at Shosoin, it is written as “sucrose”, which means sugar and it was used as medicine.
During the Heian period and into the early Kamakura period, sugar remained an exclusive and rare commodity, known only to a privileged few among the upper class. However, as we transitioned from the late Kamakura period to the Muromachi period, trade with China began to pick up pace. It was during the era of Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, that trade with China's Ming Dynasty thrived, and sugar became one of the imported treasures.
Historical records tell us about delightful treats like "sugar manju" and "sugar yokan" that were enjoyed during the Tea Ceremony, which was gaining popularity during this time. There are even accounts of the 8th Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa serving yokan to entertain Zen monks. Moreover, a fascinating picture scroll depicting daily life from that period shows manju being sold in a bustling market. This suggests that while sugar still retained its value, it was gradually becoming more accessible to ordinary citizens. The sweet influence was beginning to reach beyond the elite circles.
However, it wasn't until the early 17th century that sugar production took root in Japan. The initial production of brown sugar occurred in Oshima District, which is now known as Amami Oshima. This island is situated between Kyushu and Okinawa and played a significant role in Japan's sugar-making history.
Following that, brown sugar production expanded into the Ryukyu Kingdom, which included the Okinawa Islands and later incorporated the Sakishima and Amami Islands. By the late 17th century, sugar production in these regions had fully blossomed. Notably, the Shimazu clan, rulers of Oshima District in Satsuma Province, initiated cane cultivation to revitalize their finances, leveraging the lucrative sugar industry. Beyond Satsuma, feudal domains in Western Japan, known for their warm climates, recognized sugar's strategic importance. This shift marked the growing significance of sugar production in Japan. Reference: https://seitokogyokai.com/knowledge/propagation/
The Portuguese arrival on Tanegashima Island in 1543 and the subsequent trade between Portugal and Japan played a great role in the dissemination of sugar. Historical documents from the Christian missionary activity during that era document the introduction of enduring sugar confections, including castella, conpeitou, and biscuits. These confections were brought to Japan by the Portuguese. During the Sengoku period, the renowned military commander Oda Nobunaga was introduced to these sweets by the missionary Louis Frois, who had come to Japan. It is said that he received a gift of conpeitou, which sparked his fascination with these sweet treats.
Source: https://nagasaki-touan.com/taiken/history-of-castella/
The historical exchanges between Japan and Portugal date back approximately 460 years to 1543 when Portuguese sailors landed on Tanegashima Island, introducing firearms to Japan. During the mid-16th century, in Tenbun 18 (1549), Francisco de Xavier, a Spanish missionary and one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, arrived in Kagoshima to spread Christianity. It was during this period that Nanban sweets were introduced to Japan.
In the following year, Tenbun 19 (1550), Xavier traveled to Hirado, where he met Captain da Gama. Alongside his efforts to introduce Christianity to Kagoshima, Xavier also brought a variety of Nanban sweets to Japan, including treats like Boro, Konpeitou, Castella, Argel, Biscout, and Bread. It was during this time that the method of making bread was passed down to Japan by the Fathers of the Franciscan Church. Reference: https://nagasaki-touan.com/taiken/history-of-castella/
Castela factory production in 1571 https://shooken.com/history/
Castella cake also found its way into the diary of the famous samurai Ryoma Sakamoto during his time in Nagasaki in 1867. He mentioned the below paragraph, which is an old Japanese which is the recipe of castella「正味、玉子百目、うとん七十目、さとふ百目。此ヲ合テヤク也、和蘭実方・・・・・・」 Castella is this fluffy cake made with eggs and sugar. Is very lightweight and soft. The photo below is the classic one, however nowadays there are many other flavors including matcha, chocolate and others. If you would like to cook it at home, here is a recipe.
Source:https://nagasaki-touan.com/taiken/history-of-castella/
Nagasaki is renowned as one of the most famous places for producing castella in Japan. In the Kanto region, Bunmeido stands out as a renowned castella maker, often considered the best in the business. While there are variations between different Bunmeido locations, such as Nihonbashi Bunmeido and Yokohama Bunmeido, all of them offer their unique take on this delectable treat. Reference:https://maminyan.com/zatsugaku/kaste.html
In Kitakyushu, there's a special store that continues to craft "Konpeito," a confectionery beloved by figures like Nobunaga, using the same time-honored techniques from 400 years ago. Konpeito has always been a delightful, colorful treat since its introduction. The 1718 book "Hidensho" not only outlines the production process but also reveals the natural ingredients used to create five distinct colors in the finished sugar pellets. Blue dye is derived from crushed dayflower petals, yellow from gardenia, red from safflower, white remains unaltered, and black is produced from the smoke of burned sesame and rapeseed oils. These ingredient names evoke a rustic charm of times past. Although modern methods exist, the 14-day manufacturing process, which imbues recrystallized sugar with vibrant hues after melting, has been passed down through generations. It remains a testament to the art of simplicity, enchanting both the eyes and palates of those who indulge.
Source: https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%8D%97%E8%9B%AE%E8%8F%93%E5%AD%90-590728
As for Siberia, its exact origins are somewhat elusive. According to the manager of Kotei Bakery, an establishment in Yokohama founded in 1916, Siberia's production likely commenced between the late Meiji period and early Taisho period. During that era, it was a familiar treat found in many bakeries. The name "Siberia" has a certain memorable ring to it, and its origin has sparked various theories. The most widely accepted explanation likens it to the Trans-Siberian Railway traversing a snowy landscape (with Castella resembling the snowy terrain and Yokan resembling the railway). Other theories propose its name comes from the cross-sectional pattern resembling frozen Siberian soil or that it was invented during the Russo-Japanese War and consumed in Siberia.
