Tachibanakado" in Kurashiki, Okayama

Kibidango (sweet rice dumplings) are not the only type of sweets in Okayama Prefecture! Murasuzume," a sweet made by wrapping a sweet azuki bean paste in a thin crepe-like crust, is a must-try confection when you visit Kurashiki. It is one of the most popular sweets in Kurashiki, and is sure to be a hit when given to others.

I love Murasuzume so much that whenever I receive one as a souvenir, one is not enough and I gobble it up again and again. I wish they would make a really big one anyway..." I thought to myself.

I was thinking that I could try my hand at making " jumbo murasuzume " at Kikkodo's Bikan Historical Park store! Since it was summer, I jumped in and tried it as a kind of free research for adults!

Murasuzume (village sparrow)

Did you know that the origin of the name "Murasuzume" is not "village sparrows"? It is "Murasuzume" for short (the correct spelling is "Murasuzume"). I am ashamed to say that I did not know this...!

In the Edo period (1603-1867), Kurashiki was considered as a territory of Japan because of the rice it offered to the gods. The name "murasuzume" comes from the name of the sparrows that flocked to the rice, "swarm sparrows," and "village sparrows. The shape is also inspired by the image of a "sparrow with its wings spread.

I tried making a "murasuzume"!

Before making jumbo murasuzume, we decided to try making regular-sized murasuzume first. Under the guidance of a professional, we poured the dough onto a hot griddle and baked it.



After a while, small holes appear on the surface. The dough seems to have hardened, so it is time to turn it over, but do so with bare hands, not a chopstick. Be careful if your fingers are extremely thin.

After the dough is turned over, put a large dollop of sweet bean paste on top. Then, fold it in half (with bare hands, of course), and fold the dough into folds in the center to complete the dough.




The dough hardens quite quickly during baking, so the most difficult part was getting the folds to form a nice shape! But I think you will love the snaky shape if it is something you made yourself.


When I tried "freshly baked murasuzume" for the first time, I found that the dough, which is usually moist and absorbent, was crispy and savory, and tasted like a Japanese-style cookie! If you leave it for a while, the dough and the red bean paste will blend together and it will become the usual murasuzume.

Try the "Jumbo Murasuzume"!

Now, it's time to try jumbo murasuzume!

Scoop the dough with a ladle larger than before and place it on the griddle. With the back of the ladle, you roll the dough out to form a large circle.


The dough has spread to about twice its normal size! But because it was so large, it was difficult to roll out the dough evenly. Strangely, only the center of the dough became thicker, but that's just for fun!


When the dough is done baking, I turn it over, but since the area to be peeled off is large, they let me use a spatula-like tool this time. Whew.

Once the dough is turned over, top it with a generous amount of sweet bean paste with a white bean paste in it. Fold the dough in half and make folds in the middle... Yes, the jumbo murasuzume is ready!



Compared to the normal size, you can see how huge it is. The difference is about the size of a sparrow and a hawk.



When you eat it, the soft and fluffy dough, the sweet bean paste, and the chewy white bean curd all come together to form a huge filling! It is like a luxurious Japanese crepe. It would be delicious with whipped cream or black honey.


The handmade Murasuzume experience costs 600 yen for three regular Murasuzumes and 1,200 yen for one jumbo size. How about making a summer memory? Adults with a sweet tooth should definitely try the jumbo size!