Yamanashi Prefecture, located at the northern foot of the World Heritage Mt. Fuji, is famous for its agricultural products grown in the abundant nature and subterranean water. Yamanashi Prefecture boasts one of the largest harvests of grapes and peaches in Japan, and offers a wide variety of confections and processed products that take full advantage of their freshness and mellow flavor. Here we introduce two special souvenirs found in this “fruit kingdom.
Sanyu Shokai “Tsuki no Shizuku
Tsuki no Shizuku is a local confectionery that has been handed down in the Kofu/Koshu area since the Edo period. It is made by coating grains of the prefectural brand “Koshu grape” with white honey made from kneaded sugar.
When you release a crispy bite, juicy juice overflows from the inside, and the texture changes to a crunchy one, combined with the sweet and sour taste of the skin and the astringency of the seeds. The taste is the result of using fresh Koshu grapes in their raw state, whole grapes.
Various confectionery companies in the prefecture, such as Koshuya Honten, Shorinken, and Kikyouya, have commercialized the product, and Sanyu Shokai, which we purchased this time, is one of them. However, in recent years, due to bad weather and a decrease in the number of grape farmers, the number of Tsuki no Shizuku sold is limited depending on the amount of grapes harvested that year.
It is a rare product that can only be eaten from late September to late November (until around December even in a good harvest year), so it is a must-buy if you see it.
© Source travel watch