Karukan

Karukan is a Japanese confectionery made from karukan rice flour, sugar, grated Japanese yam, and water. The mixture is kneaded, then steamed which creates a spongy, white manju. The steaming is the most technical part of creating the perfect karukan. The ideal karukan will have a light spongy texture but too much steaming will harden the batter, where as too little steaming will result in an under-cooked karukan. While Karukan was originally enjoyed as a traditional confectionery in block form, in recent years it has become more common to fill karukan with red bean paste and serving it as Karukan Manju. Karukan is a popular snack in Kagoshima, and can be found along Kyushu's most popular prefectures. Places like Miyazaki, Oita, and Fukuoka all produce and sell fresh-made karukan as souvenirs.

Ask your tour guide where you can find delicious karukan while on vacation with Japan Deluxe Tour's line of fully-guided Southern Japan Tours or Grand Tour Packages available Spring or year-round.