Today June 16th is "Japanese sweets day". You have the opportunity to eat all year round for seasonal events and souvenirs. What do you choose for your drink?

Generally, the image is to combine green tea and matcha, but I've been a coffee lover ever since I tried coffee when I didn't have tea before. Above all, it goes really well with red bean paste such as water yokan and dorayaki.

The "Coffee loves (*) Japanese sweets award 2016" was held for the first time this year in order to spread the appeal of such "Japanese sweets x coffee" to as many people as possible.

Why does coffee go well?

The Coffee loves Japanese sweets award is a contest to decide the grand prix from "Japanese sweets that go well with coffee" selected by local newspapers nationwide. The author has also participated in the awards ceremony so as not to miss this memorable moment.

By the way, why does coffee go well with Japanese sweets in the first place? According to Mr. Yabu of the National Japanese Sweets Association, "The raw materials for Japanese sweets are mainly processed agricultural products, so they are low in fat and have a good mouthfeel. Also, since they do not interfere with the aroma of coffee, both are enjoyable and compatible." That thing. I adjusted it somehow, but when I was told, I was convinced.

The Grand Prix is a famous confectionery in Ehime!

Of the 47 products representing each prefecture, the special prize "Orange Page Award" was selected for "Hato Sablés" in Kanagawa Prefecture. It's a familiar sweet as a souvenir from Kamakura, but it's actually a fine Japanese sweet that has kept the same taste since the Meiji era.


The crunchy texture and the aroma of butter that is full of it are wrapped in coffee and melt gently ... It's a wonderful match that the big pigeon disappears in a blink of an eye.


And it was "Ichiroku Tart" in Ehime Prefecture that was selected for the prestigious Grand Prix. Out of over 40,000 web votes, he has collected over 10,000 votes!


This is a simple Japanese confectionery wrapped with a delicate sponge and fluffy "Yuzu" scented red bean paste. I think there are many people who are impressed with the "no" character pattern of red bean paste.


The smooth aroma of red bean paste and refreshing yuzu spreads throughout the mouth, but the lingering finish of coffee remains firmly in the back mouth. Therefore, there is no complaint that I will take another bite for a delicate taste again.

The coffee offered at the venue was AGF's "Sen" coffee, which hosts the event. It seems that this was made according to the "Japanese taste", and the mellow taste with less bitterness and the good aftertaste matched well with Japanese sweets. By the way, the official website of AGF also has a list of entry sweets, so it is a must-see for Japanese sweets lovers.

There is no doubt that the delicate taste of Japanese sweets and the aroma of coffee will be healed more than you can imagine. Why don't you try Japanese sweets that are familiar to you on the day of Japanese sweets?


* The official notation of "loves" is a heart symbol.