It is a Japanese sweet baked in a mold shaped like a fish bream.
Pour the dough made of flour into a mold, put red bean paste on it, and put only the dough on the other side and bake.
It is said that a round-shaped sweet called “Imagawayaki” was developed around the 19th century.
Sea bream is an auspicious and expensive fish that can be eaten at celebrations in Japan. Therefore, Taiyaki has become a popular confectionery nationwide.
However, because the amount of red bean paste inside depends on the shape, Japanese people often argue whether to eat from the head with plenty of bean paste or from the tail with a little bean paste. If you ask “Where do you eat from?”, it will be a chance to have a conversation.
What is Taiyaki and can I eat it?
Materials of Taiyaki
Wheat flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, red bean paste
| with Daily | with Egg |
| Convenience store | Cake shop |
Taiyaki has natural products and farmed products
There are two types of molds, one is small for one Taiyaki and the other is large for multiple Taiyakis. Those who are particular about Taiyaki distinguish the former from “natural products” and the latter from “cultured products” as if they were real fish.
Although it takes more time to make “natural products”, it is expensive because it is easy to heat and the skin is crispy.
Taiyaki has more variations than the dorayaki, and in addition to red bean paste, there are also custard cream, chocolate, caramel, and meat and vegetables.
Improvements have also been made to the dough, including a croissant-like puff pastry type and a soft type using tapioca powder.
Dorayaki is a Japanese confectionery made by sandwiching red bean paste between two thinly baked castella dough. It i[…]
Try to eat Taiyaki!
How much ?
$ 1.4～2.8
Where can I get Taiyaki?
I recommend the Taiyaki chain stores in the shoping complex. You can buy different types of Taiyaki at these chain stores.
Ginnoan
The shop is famous for a crispy and thin skin type. Croissant type and thick skin type are also sold. There is a seasonal menu. You can see in an AEON MALL.
Taimu
It is a thin-skin type stores. A special iron mold is used and Taiyaki is baked without using oil. Some standard products use German potatoes instead of red bean paste. The stores are expanding nationwide, mainly in the Kanto region.
Nippon Ichi Taiyaki
There are about 40 stores nationwide, but you may be able to find them because they are open near tourist attractions. Even though it is a chain store, it uses two connected molds, so it can be called a “natural product”.
Precautions when eating Taiyaki
For vegetarians
Most are plant-derived ingredients, but a small amount of eggs and milk are used. Decide whether to eat according to your own policy.
For Muslims
Although it is not halal certified, it does not contain any problematic ingredients.
Japanese writer’s comment for Taiyaki
Writer incorporates gluten-free for health, but Taiyaki can be eaten without feeling guilty if it is a thin-skinned type. The tail part has a large amount of flour-based skin, so if you’re curious, share it with someone.
Freshly baked is recommended as it has a delicious crispy skin texture. If you take it home, reheat it with a toaster to restore its texture. However, hotels often have a microwave but no toaster, so eat freshly baked if possible. In Japan before, I used to eat hot food right after I bought it in winter.
By the way, there is a famous nursery rhyme called “Oyoge Taiyaki-kun” in Japan. The song is about Taiyaki, which does not want to be eaten, escapes from the store to the sea. All Japanese people can hum.
