I tried "Sano specialty Sakura Anpan" in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. The fluffy bread stuffed with moist red bean paste has a fluffy cherry blossom scent, and although it is an old-fashioned "anpan", it is a spring-like cherry-blossom viewing dish.
Sakura Anpan made by "Nakada Bread" in Sano City is a local specialty, and you may have seen people who used the service area (SA) of the Tohoku Expressway (Tohoku Expressway).
The price is 495 yen (tax included) for 3 pieces, but a separate shipping fee will be charged for mail order. You can also order from the direct sales site.
There are cherry blossom petals in the "navel" part of the anpan, and a light scarlet color is glimpsed, and when you bring your nose closer, it smells like spring. In addition, a piece of cherry blossom leaves is laid in the bag filled with anpan, which also adds a fluffy scent to the bread.
The bread dough doesn't seem to have anything special, but it's very plump and slightly moist. It is flavored using a sake type that is fermented by mixing rice jiuqu and cooked rice.
The brown fox-colored part on the outside and the pure white and soft part on the inside are the perfect baking for the traditional expression of anpan.
The inside of the rice cake has a strong and smooth texture, and the sweetness and richness are strong. The boiling process is carried out at Nakada's own factory, and the composition is not too sweet and is adjusted so that it is easy to eat as many as you like.
It's true that each piece of bread is small, but each piece of bread is packed with bean paste, so even one piece at a time can be quite hungry. It has a strong moist feeling, so you can enjoy it without a drink, but it is better to have hot Japanese tea.
If you cut it into small pieces, you can enjoy it with a little sweetness while watching the contrast between the cherry blossoms and the color of the rice cake, so it seems to be good for sharing with multiple people.