About 450 years ago, Konpeito was brought to Japan from Portugal. That’s why the name Konpeito comes from the Portuguese word “Confeito”. In Kanji, 金平糖 (Konpeito).
Why do you think the Kanji “金” (Kin / Kon), which means gold is used?
This is related to the situation in Japan at that time. Konpeito is mainly made from sugar, but at that time, sugar was very expensive in Japan. It was not at all accessible to the ordinary people. For this reason, the Kanji “金” was used to mean the highest grade.
Konpeito instantly captivated the Japanese.
Amazingly, even the famous Oda Nobunaga was a big fan of Konpeito! He had ordered Konpeito over and over.
450 years have passed since then.
Konpeito has been advanced uniqueable in Japan thus far. The charms of Japanese Konpeito are its beautiful clear color, bumpy surface, and unique texture.
With the passage of time, the status of Konpeito has also changed.
In the Azuchi-Momoyama era, it was an expensive sweet that was eaten by people of high rank. And in the Edo era, it was a new Wagashi (Japanese confectionery) for ordinary people. During the Taisho and Showa era, it was not only Wagashi but also Dagashi (candy for children). And during the war, it was a preserved food for soldiers.
Konpeito is exactly a Wagashi that has evolved along with the history of Japan.
Otona Konpeito Hojicha is a gift from the evolution of Konpeito by countless previous craftsmen. Konpeito that Oda Nobunaga loved so much. Would you like to taste its evolved version?