Dig Japan vol.3 “Yokan (羊羹)”

Yokan is wagashi made by pouring generally azuki bean paste into a mold called “Yokan fune” and solidified it with agar also known as kanten. Its origin was a Chinese jelly from the gelatin derived from boiling sheep soup and introduced to Japan in Kamakura and Muromachi periods (around 1191) by Zen priests. How did it develop to the current type?

History of Yokan in Japan

A wagashi confectioner, Okanoeisen's yokan (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

First, modern yokan can be broadly divided into two types: “Neri yokan” and “Mizu yokan.” Neri yokan uses a large amount of agar and sugar, and can be stored for over a year under the right conditions. On the other hand, mizu yokan uses less agar and is characterized by its freshness and softness.

There is also “Mushi yokan,” which is made by steaming wheat flour or arrowroot powder instead of agar. When people simply say yokan, they are often referring to neri yokan, but this first appeared in the late 18th century, and up until that point the method of making mushi yokan had been used.

Yokan originated from boiling lamb into a gelatinous form, but when it was brought to Japan by Zen monks, the precepts (five precepts) of Zen Buddhism forbade eating meat and led to vegetarianism, so red beans, wheat flour, arrowroot powder, etc. were used instead of lamb. This is said to be the prototype of Japanese yokan.

It is said that yokan first appeared in Japanese literature in the late 1300s, during the early Muromachi period, in the “Teikin orai,” a textbook for elementary schools used as a calligraphy and reading book for Terakoya schools. In the “dim sum” section, there are descriptions of two types of yokan: “Koto yokan,” which is thought to contain bamboo shoots, and “Sato yokan," which is thought to literally contain sugar.

At the time, yokan was eaten with soup, but as it evolved into banquet food and sweets, the soup became a separate dish. When the tea ceremony became popular in the mid-1500s, yokan began to be served as a tea ceremony sweet. However, since tea ceremonies at that time served not only sweets but also sake snacks, it is not certain whether yokan was as sweet as we imagine it today.

Yokan in the Edo Period

A wagashi confectioner, Funawa's imoyokan (Photography by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨)

The “Nippo jisho” (Japanese-Portuguese Dictionary), published in the early Edo period, lists three words related to yokan. First, “kan” is explained as “a type of Japanese confectionery made from beans or wheat and brown sugar or sugar.” Next, “yokan” is explained as “a food made by mixing beans with sugar and kneading it.”

Finally, “sato yokan” is explained as “a type of stick confectionery (yokan) made from beans and sugar.” From this, it can be inferred that these yokan used wheat flour and sugar, the second one meant yokan made with brown sugar, and the third one meant yokan made with white sugar.

There were two ways to make yokan in the Edo period: pounding and kneading steamed bean paste in a mortar to form it, and pouring the bean paste into a frame (box) and steaming it to harden it. The latter method, which only requires steaming, is thought to have been invented later to simplify the process.

The shape of modern yokan resembles the rectangular yokan depicted in the ancient document “Teikin orai zusan” published in 1688. Until then, it was what we now call mushi yokan, but in the late 18th century, yokan made with agar appeared.

The most likely theories are that it was invented by a store called Benikoya Shizuma in Honmachi, Edo, at the beginning of the Kansei era (1789-1801), or that it was sold by Kitaro in Nihonbashi. Neri yokan, which has a good texture and keeps well, became popular in Edo, and within a few decades it had spread to local confectionery shops.

Modern Yokan

A wagashi confectioner, Tamashimaya's tama yokan (Photography via Tamashimaya)

In the mid-1800s, neri yokan replaced mushi yokan as the mainstream, and the variety of ingredients and methods of production increased, with yokan made with yuzu, mandarin oranges, and sesame seeds also appearing. From the Meiji period to the Showa period, the development of transportation networks led to an increase in tourists, and souvenir sweets were invented in various places, with distinctive yokan in each region becoming established.

For example, in 1937, “Tama yokan,” yokan stuffed into a rubber balloon, went on sale. This was developed by Tamashimaya, a Japanese confectionery shop in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, at the request of the Army, as a confectionery to send to soldiers going to war.

Even today, yokan is popular as a souvenir or tea snack, and although relatively high-quality yokan is cut into pieces before eating, some are already packaged in bite-sized pieces. In addition, yokan's calories are also useful for providing nutrition during sports.

This article was written by 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐨, working as a freelance translator and press for overseas apparel brands in Japan, with the purpose of broadening her insight into the Japanese traditional culture.