Asahikawa's Unique Dorayaki Vol.3

In the past years, Western confectionery popularity rose up due to the Instagram trend.
Dorayaki is attractive because it can be easily eaten with one hand and can even be purchased at convenience stores. However, the dorayaki sold at convenience store is often a normal adzuki red bean filled one... Since you may be already tired of this standard taste, a delicious and unusual dorayaki may be better, isn't it?

When you get off the ring road toward Asahimachi, you will find the Marukita Confectionery on your left.
Founded in 1903, Marukita is a long-established store in Asahikawa.

From cakes to Japanese sweets, various snacks and sweets are lined-up here. Among these sweets, it seems like Marukita is especially putting efforts into their traditional, Japanese snacks.

Many of the packages used for the sweets of Marukita have cute pictures and heartwarming words written on them, and just looking at them will make you smile.

For example, in the package of the “Monaka Tart", "I wish you to be happy enough to be able to smile for ever” was written. On the “Cheese pound cake”, “Nothing makes me more happy than watching you laugh, this is why I will do my best” etc….

A delicious sweet wrapped in a heartwarming message is the best gift for a family member, isn’t it ?

This time, we will introduce three unusual dorayaki from the long-established store Confectionery Marukita.

While it may look like a normal adzuki red bean paste "dorayaki," this is actually a "sake lees bean paste dorayaki” made with sake lees called "Asahi Kamui" from the Asahikawa Takasago Shuzo company (A sake brewing company).

Founded in 1899, Takasago Shuzo is also a long-established store.
The fusion of long-established stores must have a noble, luxurious flavour.

Our writer can't handle alcohol at all, but he likes amazake.
It is often said that you can’t get drunk with amazake... but if you’re weak enough you can actually get drunk with amazake.
The sakekasu dorayaki, contains sake lees, our writer didn't get drunk, so even children can eat it without problems.

Hidden the red bean paste sweetness, the flavour of sake lees spread their gentle aroma. It’s an acquired taste that may not please everyone.
But even if you don't like sweets, you should try this slightly sweet dorayaki out and enjoy the flavour of the sake lees.

Ofukuwake means sharing the good luck, the good fortune.

The product name of "Ofukuwake" is indeed cute, but the fact that on the package "I'm your ally, always by your side” is written makes this dorayaki even cuter. Even if most people buy the dorayaki for the snack itself, people who wants to convey a message may buy it too.

There is a lot of sweets using peas as an ingredient, like the “zunda mochi”.


Speaking of sweets made from peas, many of them are used for mochi, such as "Zunda mochi”.
However, you will rarely see a dorayaki made with peas.
The sweet pea paste matches the sweet dorayaki dough creating an exquisite combination of flavours.
Some peas aren’t completely crushed to have a different texture. The whole pea is used to its fullest to make the best snack !

The words written on the package will fill up your heart with warmness and the dorayaki will fill up your tummy. Two birds one stone !
This may be the true meaning of this name Ofukuwake, shared luck.

This is the Kuromame Dora using black soybeans from Hokkaido.


The hard Hokkaido beans are boiled to make them softer while keeping the crunchy texture of the beans.

The black beans filling allows us to appreciate the whole beans - specially their texture - unlike the adzuki red bean paste filling.

The dorayaki looks small compared to a “normal” dorayaki. But maybe because of the black soybeans, our writer is satisfied with his dorayaki.

The fluffy dough and the sweet black beans are delicious, our writer finished his snack in no time.

Confectionery Marukita
Address: Asahikawa-shi Asahimachi 1-jō 4-chōme 841 - 15 vivi asahichō
Telephone: 0166-51-0780
Business hours: 9: 30-18: 00
Regular holiday: Sunday

In addition to dorayaki, there are also a wide variety of high grade Japanese fresh confections in which you can feel the skills of the maker.

Even if it's not a decorated cake, the traditional sweets made by a maker who have refined their skills during years and years can also be called a “masterpiece”.

To accompany your tea or to give to someone, Asahikawa's long-established store “Confectionery Marukita” has a large number of Japanese sweets including dorayaki. Stop by this store if you need a sweet gift for your family !