Nakamuraya Launches "Baked Karinto Manju" Featuring Crispy Okinawa Brown Sugar Dough and Homemade Smooth Bean Paste – Available May 1, 2026 (Friday)

Nakamuraya Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Hiroyuki Shimada; TSE Standard: 2204; hereinafter "Nakamuraya") will launch "Baked Karinto Manju," a Japanese confectionery baked with homemade smooth strained bean paste wrapped in a dough made with Okinawan brown sugar, to be enjoyed during tea time. It will be available at supermarkets in the Kanto region starting May 1, 2026 (Friday). **About Nakamuraya's Anko (Bean Paste)** Based on the philosophy of "We want you to enjoy the authentic deliciousness of specialty store quality on a daily basis," Nakamuraya has been providing products that maximize the appeal of bean paste, meticulously crafted with carefully selected ingredients and manufacturing methods, utilizing the bean paste production technology cultivated since the start of Japanese confectionery manufacturing in 1909 (Meiji 42). "Baked Karinto Manju" is a Japanese confectionery that allows you to enjoy the combination of dough and bean paste. The homemade strained bean paste, cooked from adzuki beans, has been refined to a smooth texture with ingenuity in its formulation and manufacturing method to enhance the crispy texture of the dough. **Development Background** * In recent years, the manju category has been growing in the Japanese confectionery market. Among them, black sugar-flavored manju has gained support for its unique sweetness, richness, and aroma of black sugar. Our company's research also shows that "black sugar" is popular as a Japanese ingredient. Furthermore, "Karinto Manju" is highly regarded for its crispy texture and black sugar flavor as a favorite black sugar confectionery among those who purchase Japanese sweets at supermarkets at least once a month. * Moreover, 62% of respondents answered "after meals" as the timing for eating Japanese sweets, indicating a custom of enjoying them with family over tea. * Therefore, Nakamuraya focused on "Karinto Manju," which allows enjoyment of both the dough and bean paste, and has a rich black sugar flavor that pairs well with tea. To address the challenges of oiliness and short shelf life, this product was developed by baking instead of frying to suppress oiliness and ensure a long-lasting crispy texture. It incorporates unique innovations in both the dough and the specialty-quality homemade bean paste, pursuing a balance of texture and taste. **Product Features** Dough that reproduces the crispy texture of karinto and the richness of black sugar The dough, made with rice flour, pursues crispiness and is baked slowly to suppress oiliness, maintaining a crisp texture like karinto even without frying. Furthermore, using Okinawan brown sugar allows you to enjoy a deep richness and rich black sugar flavor. Smooth homemade strained bean paste made from scratch The homemade strained bean paste, carefully cooked at our own factory, is characterized by its moist, smooth, and gentle sweetness. We created bean paste for "Baked Karinto Manju" with a formulation that maintains its moistness even after long hours of oven baking. Best balance of dough and bean paste Committed to enjoying the combination of dough and bean paste, it is finished with an exquisite balance where the crispy dough and smooth homemade strained bean paste complement each other. **Product Details** ■ Product Name: Baked Karinto Manju ■ Product Description: Smooth homemade strained bean paste is wrapped in a crispy, rich black sugar dough made with Okinawan brown sugar and baked. ■ Suggested Retail Price: 171 yen (tax included) ■ Release Date: May 1, 2026 (Friday) ■ Contents: 1 piece ■ Sales Channel: Supermarkets (Kanto region) ■ Shelf Life: 60 days **Nakamuraya and Confectionery** Nakamuraya was founded in 1901 (Meiji 34) as a bakery in Hongo, Tokyo. In 1909 (Meiji 42), it began manufacturing and selling Japanese confectionery, and in 1920 (Taisho 9), Western confectionery. With over 110 years of cultivated confectionery manufacturing technology, we create delicious products like mooncakes, yokan, and dorayaki with "unsparing effort," proposing sweets that add color to daily life. Under its management philosophy, "Pursuing true value and sharing its joy," Nakamuraya will continue to propose food that blends into future lifestyles and brings happiness through creativity and challenge.