Hiroshima Sweets

  Today I will talk about momiji manju in Hiroshima (momiji means maple leaves, and manju means traditional bun typically with red-bean jam inside). Momiji manju is a popular local cake among visitors to Hiroshima, and they buy the cakes in the gift box for sourvenior. I was not a big fan of Momiji manju until when I encountered a new "deep-fried" momiji manju yesterday. So I show a series of photos below to compare convensional vs. new momiji manju. I took these photos in Miyajima Island, Hiroshima yesterday (Day 2 of my Hiroshima trip).

  The photo below shows a traditional momiji manju with red-bean jam inside.

  Be warned that momiji manju does not use maple syrups or other maple-delived ingredients. Only the shape looks like a maple leaf which Hiroshima, especially Miyajima island, is famous for. I took the photo of the maple leaves below in Miyajima Island yesterday.

  Over the past couple of decades or so, many variety of momiji manju appeared, typically with different kind of fillings (chocolate, maccha/green tea, fruit jams, etc.), and some of them still thrive today. The photo below shows mojimi manju with custard cream which my mom ordered.  

  Recently the popularity of momiji manju has substantially increased with the advent of age momiji (deep-fried maple leaf). It is sold in shops or stolls which serve freshly fried age momiji with a wooden bar sticking up. I bought one for myself (see photos below; my bro is holding my age momiji).  

  It was so yummy!!!! It was the best momiji manju I have ever had (I probably ate several hundreds of momiji manju in my life). It was way better than other momiji manju.  

  It is probably not suitable for survonir or gift; only the freshly fried, hot one tastes so good. The taste reminds me of freshly made Fried Bread of Navajo trives in Navajo Nation.

Shuji