Kintsuba is a traditional wagashi (Japanese sweet) that is often enjoyed with matcha tea to offset the bitterness. It is not uncommon to find vendors who sell this fresh, allowing you to watch the process and eat the kintsuba as soon as it is ready making it a perfect warming treat in colder months.
Kintsuba are made from cutting thick tsubu-an (a type of sweet bean paste) that has been boiled with agar powder and a little sugar. The mixture then cools in a square tin before being cut into smaller square pieces and then dipped into a batter of water and flour and then fried on all sides before serving.
Kintsuba is thought to have originated in Kyoto during the Edo Period (1603 – 1868). Back then it was round in shape and was called gintsuba, where “gin” translates to silver and “tsuba” refers to the guard of a sword, which is round. However, as the treat made its way to Edo (now Tokyo), it upgraded its name somewhat to kintsuba, with “kin” translating to gold to attach prestige and value to the sweet treat. Eventually, they lost their circular shape to become squares.
One shop where you can discover this traditional sweet is Umegen in Asakusa, located near Kappabashi. There used to be hundreds of shops just like this in the area, selling to theater goers at a time when Asakusa was the home of entertainment in the city. Today, their numbers have declined somewhat but for those remaining, the quality certainly hasn’t.