Sarudono and Usahime, I know this is sudden, but do you like azuki beans?
(USAHIME)
I like it♪
(SARUDONO)
Me too ♪
Now, I thought this topic might be of interest to you.
In modern Japan, there is a famous popsicle made from azuki beans called “Azuki Bar”.
(SARUDONO)
Popsicle made from azuki beans?
(USAHIME)
Interesting！！
Yes, sir.
The azuki bar is the signature product of a company called Imuraya.
It is made from only sugar (produced in Japan), azuki beans, syrup, and salt, and has a very hard texture that is addictive.
In addition to the traditional azuki bean bars, recently you can enjoy different flavors such as azuki bean bar milk and azuki bean bar matcha.
Imuraya will be holding a sampling event called “Azuki Bar Festival 2024” from June 28 to June 30 in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Mie to celebrate “Imuraya Azuki Bar Day,” which will be celebrated on July 1.
During the Azuki Bar Festival 2024, a total of 15,000 free Azuki Bars will be given away!
In addition, a fair event will be held at the Tokyo venue only!
In keeping with the traditional Japanese cultural tradition of the fair, stalls will be set up to sell wanage, target practice, and yo-yo fishing.
On June 28 (Fri.), the first day of the fair, Kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe will make an appearance as an image character☆
(USAHIME)
Free Azuki Beans?
We come from the Edo period (1603-1868). In the early Edo period, sugar was a luxury item.
Sugar-sweetened azuki beans and sweets were not available to the common people.
(SARUDONO)
It was not until the mid-Edo period that sweets containing sugar finally became available to the general public.
I see！
(SARUDONO)
Hmmm.
That is why the common people must have had a strong yearning for sweet things made with sugar.
After the late Edo period, many sweet confections were born.
(USAHIME)
By the way, there was a playwright and painter named Jippensha Ikku in the late Edo period.
Do you know his famous works?
Is it “Tokaido Chu Hizakurige”？
(USAHIME)
That’s right!
Tokaido Chu Hizakurige is the story of Yajirobei and Kitahachi‘s journey along the Tokaido Highway to Ise, Kyoto, and Namba.
The story is filled with amusing descriptions of the mistakes and misunderstandings that Yajirobei and Kitahachi make along the way.
Yajirobei and Kitahachi like sweets.
Along the way, there are various sweets such as rice cakes, dumplings, gairo, abekawa mochi, manju, peony mochi, kashiwa mochi, and uzurayaki (rice cake sweets in the shape of a quail)!
(SARUDONO)
Yes, yes!
They ate burnt dumplings that had caught fire at an obscure teahouse in Fujisawa, and tricked the owner of a tateba in Imamura, Mikawa Province, into buying quail-shaped rice cakes for a penny less.
Ho-ho-ho.
(USAHIME)
The author, Jippensha Ikku, must have liked sweets himself.
Three years after the publication of “Tokaido Chu Hizakurige,” he published “Mochigashi Sokuseki Teseiishu,” a book on how to make confections.
That’s right!
I am very interested in “Tokaido Chu Hizakurige”!
I would like to read it again later.
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(SARUDONO)
That would be better.
But…
But still, I’m interested in an azuki bar!
(USAHIME)
Me too！！
I will not wait for the AZUKI BAR FESTIVAL 2024 sampling event, I will buy one at my local supermarket….
(SARUDONO)
OK.
If I like, We’ll go to the event!
Yes, sir!
Azuki Bar Festival 2024
Tokyo venue: A total of 6,500 bars to be distributed*.
Date June 28 (Fri.) – June 30 (Sun.), 2024 Distribution time and date June 28 (Fri.): (1) from 11:30 a.m. (2) from 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30: (1) 11:30 – (2) 13:30 – (3) 15:00 –
Place: COREDO Muromachi Terrace 1F Ooyane Plaza
(3-2-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
*The number of bars distributed at the Tokyo venue will be the total for the three days.
Outline of “Azuki Bar Festival” Fair
Date June 28, 2024 (Friday) to June 30, 2024 (Sunday)5Hosting time11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.6
Place Coredo Muromachi Terrace 1F O-Yane Plaza (3-2-1 Muromachi, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)*7Novelty: Azuki Bar original memo pad
Azuki King Puzzle Key Chain
Azuki bar original yo-yo
※ The event will be held in case of light rain. In case of natural disaster or stormy weather, the event may be suspended or cancelled upon consultation.
※ “Azuki Bar” summer festival event will be held only at the Tokyo venue.
※ The fair event will end when all the novelties distributed run out.
Nagoya venue: A total of 3,500 bars will be distributed
Date June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Distribution time (1) 10:00~ (2) 11:30~ (3) 13:00~ (4) 14:30~ (5) 16:00~
Place Nana-chan Street Event Space B
(1-2-5 Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan)
Osaka venue: A total of 4,000 tickets to be distributed
Date June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Distribution time (1) 11:00~ (2) 13:00~ (3) 15:00~
Place Yodobashi Camera Umeda 1F in front of the southeast exit
(1-1 Ohfuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
Mie Venue: Total of 1,000 tickets to be distributed
Date June 29, 2024 (Saturday) Distribution time 9:00-13:00
Place In front of the Imuraya head office
(7-1-1 Takajaya, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture)
The sampling will end as soon as the planned number of samples are distributed at each location and time.
Please limit sampling to one bottle per person.
Please dispose of the bags and other trash after sampling in the trash cans provided in the venue and eating areas.
The event will be held even in light rain. In the event of a natural disaster or stormy weather, the event may be suspended or cancelled after consultation.
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