Did you know Hakata Torimon?
A favourite sweet among locals and tourists alike, Hakata Torimon combines Western and Japanese flavours to make a delicious treat.
Display at the Ming Department Store
Hakata Torimon – Its History
Hakata Torimon has grown in popularity since it was first sold in 1993. This delicious dumpling is filled with a unique mixture of sweet white beans, butter and cream. With a creamy, thick texture that melts in your mouth, it’s small enough to fit in to the palm of your hand, so you may find that one isn’t quite enough!
Hakata Torimon – Its Unique Mixture
This Japanese treat is especially good to try even if you aren’t so keen on the taste of sweet beans. With its unique mixture, Torimon is a different way to eat this common ingredient of Japanese sweets. The mix of cream and butter gives it a similar taste to Western desserts but with a Japanese twist! It has a rich buttery taste with a unique texture from the sweet beans. Many people who don’t like usually like the taste of sweet beans love the taste of Torimon.
Each cake is individually wrapped
Hakata Torimon – Where can we get it?
Easy to find in gift shops around Fukuoka, Torimon is now one of the best selling souvenirs from the area. Since 2007 it has won the “Monde Selection Gold Award”, and was even featured in a popular manga. If you watch Japanese TV you might see an advertisement for it featuring animated characters. Now it’s popular around Japan as well as in Kyushu. It has become a favourite gift for visitors (both Japanese and foreigners) to Kyushu from around Japan and can be bought at most stations as well as in Fukuoka Airport. This would make a great gift to take home for friends and family.
The thick and creamy filling
Hakata Torimon – Various sizes of Packets
You can buy Hakata Torimon in various sizes of packets, the smallest containing five dumplings. A pack of five costs 560 yen and the biggest box of 40 will set you back 5,400 yen, if you want to stock up! A good spot to buy would be at the recently refurbished Ming Department Store in Hakata Station, where you can try free samples before buying, as well as sample some of the other local specialties. See below for information on Ming.
