Gokabo,Kinako sweets

Gokaho sweets are very old, and were already sold under the name of “Gokabo” during the Bunsei era (1818-1829) of the Edo period.
　　Saitama is said to be one of Saitama’s three major sweets, and it is said that the Gokabo such as high-quality soybeans, rice, and barley are harvested in the post town of Kumagaya and Nakasendo, and have been produced and raised.
Watato, which was founded in Nihonbashi, had Kumagaya’s Gokabo　craftsmen come and teach them the techniques of making the Gokabo.

In the past, there were 24 Gokabo manufacturers in Tokyo, but the number has continued to decrease with the times, and Watato is one of the few remaining Gokabo manufacturers.
　Traditional sweets have become scarce over time, but old-fashioned sweets are made simply and without unnecessary ingredients.
　　Inheriting the wisdom and affection of our predecessors who pursued the deliciousness of the ingredients, we continue to make Kinako sweets such as Gokaho.

The dough of “Gokabo” is made of Kinako and molasses.
Kinako and molasses, which is the decisive factor of the important taste, is a secret recipe that has been handed down at Watato for many years.
The gentle sweetness that leaves a lasting impression is maintained by changing the composition, heating time, and heating temperature according to the temperature and humidity of each season.
This manufacturing method is one of the craftsmanship that is made possible by many years of experience.

Soybean flour is essential for Watato.
While visiting farmers and experiencing soybean planting and harvesting, we found several kinds of soybeans that go well with Watato’s sweets. So I found soybeans from Hokkaido, Saitama, and Canada.
Akiha Shoten, a manufacturer of only yellow flour, which is rare in Japan, manufactures soybean flour for Watato every day.

Akiba Shoten specializes in soybean flour roasting, which is rare even in Japan. We adjust the roasting time and fire depending on the temperature and humidity, and continue to make fragrant and smooth soybean flour. At Watato, we continue to make Kinako sweets, including Gokaho, using soybean flour delivered from the adjacent Akiba Shoten.

We obtained this certification so that we can attract the interest of the next generation of people in Japan by disseminating our sweets made from Kinako to the world.
Halal food is food that is allowed to be eaten according to Islamic teachings. Watato’s sweets, which have cleared detailed rules such as not using animal ingredients, are sweets that can be eaten by many people across the country.