Kimuraya, a long-established confectionery store in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Limited "Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) sweets from Tsuruoka" will be on sale from February 18.

Kimuraya Ltd. (Headquarters: Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture) will begin selling "Tsuruoka's Hina Gashi," a traditional Japanese confectionery only available during the Girls' Festival (Peach Festival), on February 18 this year again. This year, the company has added a new item, a kneaded sweet in the shape of a Shonai persimmon, a local specialty, to the assortment, making it even more appealing to local people.

The colorful and delicately crafted wagashi are perfect as sweets to brighten up family celebrations of the Dolls' Festival.

Product page: https://www.kimuraya-shop.jp/fs/kimuraya/c/gr64/

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The Hinamatsuri Doll Festival in Tsuruoka and the tradition of "Ohinagashi" (confections for Girls)

Tsuruoka's "Ohinagashi" is a Japanese confectionery that has been handed down from generation to generation along with the traditional Hinamatsuri culture of Tsuruoka City. During the Edo period, Tsuruoka developed as a castle town of the Sakai family of the Shonai Domain, and was also a port of call for Kitamae-bune ships, which influenced the culture of Kyoto and Edo.

The custom of offering sweets along with gorgeous Hina dolls to wish for the healthy growth and happiness of children took root, and developed into a culture where each household competed with each other for the beauty of the Hina dolls and sweets.

After the Meiji period (1868-1912), this custom spread to the general public, and by the mid-Showa period (1926-1989), brightly colored fresh sweets made of kneaded dough became the mainstream and have been handed down to the present.

The unique development of Hina sweets in Tsuruoka is still cherished today as a symbol of the local food culture.

A Shonai tradition of brightly-colored sweets made from kneaded dough.

Every year, Kimuraya's craftsmen carefully prepare these traditional Hina sweets. The fresh confections are made of kneaded dough in the shape of peaches, bamboo shoots, sea breams, and other good luck charms, as well as local fruits and vegetables such as Atsumi turnips and cherries.

The Shonai Persimmon Knead Kiri, new this year, is modeled on the Shonai persimmon, a representative autumn fruit of the Shonai region, and has a lovely rounded orange color. The addition of a local symbol to the Hinamatsuri celebration sweets creates a scene with more regional color.

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Product Features

Kimuraya's "Hina cakes from Tsuruoka" are made with the utmost care, from the gorgeous appearance and delicious taste to the traditional design of the packaging.

1. gorgeous and lovely appearance

The craftsmen's skill in nerikiri-zaiku reproduces fruits and vegetables that look just like the real thing, but in a small, adorable form. The colorful reds and greens give the appearance of spring.

2) Special Anko (red bean paste)

We make the kneaded dough using red bean paste cooked especially for Hinagashi.

It is characterized by its elegant sweetness and smooth taste.

3. special box with a linen leaf pattern

The sweets are presented in a special box decorated with a hemp leaf pattern, which has been used since ancient times to ward off evil and to pray for growth. The hemp leaf is a design with a wish for the healthy growth of children, as hemp leaves have a strong life force and grow straight.

Hina Cakes (B) Box

The Hina-gashi, filled with the skill and playful spirit of skilled craftsmen, is a gem that can be enjoyed not only by tasting, but also by seeing.

Outline of the product

Product name: Ohinagashi

Date of release: February 18 (Tuesday)

Price ： 2,700 yen (including tax) to 4,968 yen (including tax)

Sales period and purchasing method

Sales Period ： February 18 (Tue) to March 3 (Mon), 2025

　　　　　　　　　 Until the day of Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival). Sales will end as soon as the product is sold out.

Sales location: Kimuraya main store and stores in Tsuruoka City and Sakata City (*Tsuruoka Station store and Sakata City store)

　　　　　　　　　 (*Tsuruoka Station store and Sendai Fujisaki store accept reservations in advance.)

Online sales: https://www.kimuraya-shop.jp/fs/kimuraya/c/gr64/

About Kimuraya

Founded in 1887, Kimuraya (Tsuruoka Confectionery Kimuraya) is a long-established confectionery store in Tsuruoka City with a history of over 130 years. It is known for its local sweets, including its signature confection "Kogami" (old mirror). While cherishing the traditional skills and spirit, we continue to take on the challenge of making new confections and offer wagashi that accompany the seasonal festivities.