Nakamuraya Launches "Yaki Karintou Manju" Featuring Crispy Dough Made with Okinawan Brown Sugar and Excellent Homemade Koshian - Available May 1, 2026 (Friday)

Nakamuraya Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Hiroyuki Shimada; TSE Standard: 2204; hereinafter "Nakamuraya") will launch "Yaki Karintou Manju," a Japanese sweet baked with homemade koshian (strained red bean paste) wrapped in dough made with Okinawan brown sugar, enjoyable during tea time, at supermarkets in the Kanto region and nearby prefectures starting May 1, 2026 (Friday). **About Nakamuraya's Anko (Red Bean Paste)** Based on the philosophy of "We want people to enjoy authentic, specialty-grade deliciousness in their daily lives," Nakamuraya has been offering products that maximize the appeal of anko, meticulously crafted with carefully selected ingredients and manufacturing methods, leveraging the bean paste making techniques cultivated since the start of Japanese confectionery production in 1909 (Meiji 42). "Yaki Karintou Manju" is a Japanese sweet that allows you to enjoy the combination of dough and anko. The homemade koshian, cooked from adzuki beans, has been refined to a smooth texture through innovative blending and manufacturing methods, designed to enhance the crispy texture of the dough. **Development Background** * In recent years, the manju category in the Japanese confectionery market has been growing. Among these, brown sugar-flavored manju have gained support for their unique sweetness, richness, and aroma. Our company's research also shows that "brown sugar" is popular as a Japanese ingredient. Furthermore, "karintou manju" is highly regarded for its crispy texture and brown sugar flavor as a preferred brown sugar confectionery among those who purchase Japanese sweets at supermarkets at least once a month. * Moreover, 62% of respondents indicated "after meals" as the timing for eating Japanese sweets, revealing a custom of enjoying them with family over tea. * Therefore, Nakamuraya focused on "karintou manju," which offers both dough and anko enjoyment and has a rich brown sugar flavor that pairs well with tea. To address the challenges of oiliness and short shelf life, we developed this product by baking instead of frying, thereby reducing oiliness and achieving a persistently crispy texture. We incorporated unique innovations into both the dough and the homemade, specialty-grade anko, pursuing a balance of texture and flavor. **Product Features** ** Dough that recreates the crispy texture of karintou and the richness of brown sugar** The rice flour-based dough is baked slowly to achieve crispiness, reducing oiliness and maintaining a karintou-like crisp texture even without frying. Furthermore, the use of Okinawan brown sugar provides a deep richness and a rich brown sugar flavor. ** Smooth homemade koshian made from scratch** The homemade koshian, carefully cooked in our own factory, is characterized by its moist, smooth, and gentle sweetness. We created anko specifically for "Yaki Karintou Manju" with a formulation that retains its moistness even after long baking times in the oven. ** Best balance of dough and anko** Committed to enjoying the combination of dough and anko, we achieved an exquisite balance where the crispy dough and smooth homemade koshian complement each other perfectly. **Product Details** * **Product Name:** Yaki Karintou Manju * **Product Description:** A smooth homemade koshian is wrapped in a rich brown sugar dough with a crispy texture, made with Okinawan brown sugar, and then baked. * **Suggested Retail Price:** 171 yen (tax included) * **Release Date:** May 1, 2026 (Friday) * **Contents:** 1 piece * **Sales Channels:** Supermarkets (Kanto region and nearby prefectures) * **Shelf Life:** 60 days **Nakamuraya and Confectionery** Nakamuraya was founded as a bakery in Hongo, Tokyo, in 1901 (Meiji 34). It began manufacturing and selling Japanese confectionery in 1909 (Meiji 42) and Western confectionery in 1920 (Taisho 9). With over 110 years of confectionery manufacturing technology, we create "deliciousness made with meticulous care" such as mooncakes, yokan, and dorayaki, proposing sweets that add color to daily life. Under its management philosophy, "Pursuing true value and sharing its joy," Nakamuraya will continue to innovate and challenge itself to propose foods that integrate into future lifestyles and bring joy.