For 135 years since its establishment in 1884, Kaiundo has been making sweets reflecting the rustic, simple and sturdy, and warm-hearted local characteristic of Matsumoto in the Shinshu area.

‘To me, sweets are the symbol and face of the local culture. I feel that I should make something unique to our locality – not Edo nor Kyoto. Thus it is important to be open to any inspiration’ says the President, Koshiro Watanabe.

‘Shinmito’ is a sweet devised in the mid-Taisho period. Both its texture and taste are akin to French nougat, which no one knew then. At that time, it was called ‘Kabuki Kurumi (walnut)’ as Japanese walnut and honey were used as ingredients, and sold at Kabukiza Theatre in Ginza in Tokyo. This sweet was given the name ‘Shinmito’ by Tantansai Sosho of the Urasenke school at a tea ceremony held in the early Showa period, and has been well-received since along with this anecdote.
　
As well as seasonal Japanese sweets, there are several other popular products in the lineup: ‘Kore wa Umai (this is delicious)’, a popular product since the Taisho period, which took its name directly from the voice of people who tried it; ‘Dososhin’, the shape of which came from a cute looking Dososhin (traveler’s guardian deity); and ‘Gishio’, named in reference to the historical myth of ‘sending salt to the enemy’(*). Each package design is sophisticated, and based on the corresponding reference story. Clean sweetness and tastes. They go well with Matcha tea.

We asked about the elegant and sophisticated interior decoration of their shop. ‘Actually, we worked with craft artists who have connections with Matsumoto to produce a base plate for each sweet’ says the Executive Director, Kyoko Watanabe. The perfect balance between sweets and base plates creates a refined atmosphere in the shop.

There is a sweet called ‘Kaichi’ at Kaiundo. ‘The former Kaichi School to which my father also went has recently been designated as a national treasure,’ Kyoto-san explains.

We went to see the former school. Fabricated Western-style architecture is mixed with Japanese traditional design. In this modern school architecture, 70% of the cost of which was funded by donations from citizens, we had a similar sense of beauty that we see in Kaiundo. From both, we feel a modest sophistication and a strong backbone.
We became completely enamoured with Kaiundo’s sweets, which reflect Matsumoto’s local spirit.

*Based on a historical myth that Kenshin Uesugi, who ruled the Echigo area, sent salt to the Shinshu area to help people there who were lacking salt as a result of an economic blockade from other enemy clans. Uesugi sent salt even though Shingen Takeda, the ruler of Shinshu, was his enemy.

– Pictures –

［Ⅰ］Japanese sweets ‘Shinmito’, pottery base plate by Koichi Mizuno (Pottery Studio Hajimegama, Toki City in Gifu Prefecture,

［Ⅱ］ Japanese sweets ‘Dososhin’, wooden base plate by Daisaku Maeda (atelier m4, Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture)

［Ⅲ］Dososhin (traveler’s guardian deity) on street 　

［Ⅳ］Exterior view of Kaiundo

［Ⅴ］Former Kaichi School