Where do you plan to go when you visit Japan?
In this issue, I would like to talk about the unexpected relationship between the famous sweets of Kyoto, one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations, and Japanese musical instruments.
Kyoto’s famous confectionery is “Yatsuhashi”.
”Yatsuhashi” is a kind of Japanese cinnamon cookie.
There is also “Nama-Yatsuhashi” (unbaked Yatsuhashi), which is soft and filled with red bean paste, but this time “Yatsuhashi” is the star of the show.
Why is Yatsuhashi named “Yatsuhashi”? Therein lies the relationship between this confectionery and Japanese musical instruments.
It is said that Yatsuhashi is named after a certain person.
That person’s name is “Yatsuhashi kengyo”. He is said to have been a master of the shamisen and koto. He was also a composer, and his achievements include the composition of a piece of music for koto that is still famous today.
Even after his death, Yatsuhashi Kenko was adored and many people visited his grave.
It is said that a long-established confectionery store made sweets in the shape of a koto in memory of Yatsuhashi Kenko and named them Yatsuhashi.
When you visit Kyoto, please pick up a yatsuhashi and compare it with the shape of a koto.
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