This time, I am introducing one of the classic souvenirs of Kanazawa: kintsuba.
A relative brought this box back for me after a business trip to Kanazawa.
I had probably been served kintsuba with tea at least once before, but this was my first opportunity to examine and review it since starting this blog.
Kanazawa is synonymous with kintsuba, and kintsuba is synonymous with Nakataya. I tasted it while trying to understand why it has earned such enduring support.
Kintsuba (Nakataya)
A box of 10 costs ¥1,782.
Nakataya is apparently such a famous, long-established confectioner that its kintsuba is considered one of the safest and most reliable souvenir choices in Kanazawa.
The best-before period is printed on the back: approximately 14 days from manufacture in winter and 10 days in summer.
Removing the wrapping paper reveals an elegant silver box with a luxurious feel. A bold dragon emblem sits in the center.
Square pieces of kintsuba are lined up neatly inside.
Each wrapper has a tear notch, so no scissors are needed.
The leaflet suggests that various seasonal kintsuba varieties are sold for limited periods throughout the year.
I would especially like to try the sakura kintsuba available in spring.
Printed with Nakataya’s dragon emblem and wrapped in Japanese-style paper, each piece has a refined appearance. It also feels surprisingly heavy in the hand.
How does Nakataya Kintsuba taste?
Its luxurious presentation raises my expectations. Now, let’s try it.
The sweetness is gentle, and every individual azuki bean looks glossy and plump.
The thin outer layer of wheat-flour batter allows the deep flavor of the carefully selected Dainagon azuki beans to take center stage.
My vague memory of kintsuba was that it tended to be cloyingly sweet, which is why I had never especially liked it. This one, however, has a clean, restrained sweetness and is remarkably easy to eat.
It truly pairs beautifully with green tea. I can understand why it is so popular with older customers, and it is especially good with a hot cup of strong Japanese tea.
Although each piece is fairly small, the dense filling of azuki beans gives it enough weight to satisfy a small hunger all by itself.
That sense of satisfaction also makes it reassuring as a souvenir to hand out individually. No matter how delicious a sweet is, it can be disappointing if its size merely makes the recipient hungrier.
I do not regularly eat enough traditional Japanese sweets to compare this with many others, but it was far more satisfying than I expected.
I would also like to try the different seasonal flavors shown in the leaflet someday.
Thank you for the meal!
Kintsuba Product Info, Expiration Date, Manufacturer
| Product Name | Kintsuba |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer / Seller | Nakataya Co., Ltd. |
| Address | 2-4-9 Motomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan |
| Expiration Date | About 14 days in winter or 10 days in summer from production |
| Place of Purchase | - |
| Price | ¥1,782 |