[Choose Your Own] SHUKA gelato, 6 cups

A companion for your blissful adult downtime.

Enjoy it not only with Japanese or black tea, but also paired with your favorite specialty coffee during a break from work or chores, or even with Western spirits like wine, brandy, or whiskey during a special moment in the evening. It is also recommended as a topping for yogurt or ice cream. Its simple, rustic flavor allows you to discover your own unique way to enjoy it.

Furthermore, this is a treat that can be shared and enjoyed together even with those who have dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians or those with major allergies.

※It may contain some items equivalent to specific raw materials. Click here for details.

SHUKA is a simple, sophisticated confection made only from seeds and sugar. The packaging, which embodies this world view, omits excessive decoration and consists only of the logo and colors inspired by each seed. Since "candying" is an ancient food preservation technique, the fact that it can be stored at room temperature without any modern preservatives is another reason we recommend it as a gift or souvenir.

Seeds and sugar only

SHUKA is produced using an ancient food preservation technique known as "candying." The only ingredients used are seeds and sugar. We do not use any modern preservatives, nor do we use any artificial coloring or bleaching agents whatsoever.

Retaining just the right amount of the seeds' natural texture.

First, we simmer the ingredients to allow them to absorb moisture. In traditional Japanese confectionery, it is common to simmer ingredients until they are as soft as possible to ensure they melt in the mouth. However, at SHUKA, we use a unique, carefully researched process to retain not only the original shape and color of the seeds but also a pleasant texture, resulting in an "al dente" seed-like chewiness.

Slowly soaked for three days

Next, we make a syrup and soak the ingredients in it. Due to the physical phenomenon of osmosis, the water inside the ingredients and the sugar in the syrup are exchanged, allowing the sugar to gradually seep in. This process stops once the sugar concentration inside the ingredients and the sugar concentration in the surrounding syrup reach equilibrium.

Applying this principle, we repeat the process of increasing the syrup's sugar content and soaking the ingredients to allow the sugar to penetrate deep into their core. This process takes about three days.

Wasanbon, a sugar unique to Japan

Finally, to make it easier to eat and improve shelf life, it is left overnight to dry the surface. For this process, we use Wasanbon, a sugar unique to Japan. This is a traditional product dating back to the Edo period, made from "Chikutou," a domestic variety of sugarcane.

By sprinkling it lightly, we encourage the surface to dry while adding a gentle, sugary flavor. Our artisans finely adjust the amount sprinkled based on the temperature and humidity of the day to achieve the perfect balance.

In this way, it takes about four days from preparation to complete a single piece of SHUKA.

At SHUKA, we use only seeds and sugar. Therefore, we carefully select every single ingredient, using only those of sufficient value to be passed on to future generations. Specifically, we judge them based on the following three criteria:

1. We know the producer
2. There is respect for nature
3. Passion for quality

From "Anything but an amanatto shop"
to "It has to be me"

I was born the eldest son of "Torokuya," a Kyoto family business specializing in "amanatto" (sugar-coated beans). The shop was founded in 1926 (the first year of the Showa era) by my great-grandmother, Sueno Kondo.

However, I used to think, "The one thing I'll never be is an amanatto maker!" This was because when I was in junior high, I was teased for my family's business, with classmates saying, "Sweet natto? That's gross." Being at such a sensitive age, I began to feel embarrassed about our family shop and started hiding what my parents did for a living.

The value of amanatto. A newfound sense of mission.

After graduating, I worked for two years at a long-established major confectionery shop, where I gained experience with many different Japanese and Western sweets before joining the family business at age 26. My first impression of amanatto was, "How old-fashioned." Compared to Western sweets in particular, they lacked flair, were coated in heaps of sugar, and came in generic bags that looked like anything else you’d find anywhere.

Bringing Amanatto to the world

To ensure it continues as a culture, we need to change this image and, in particular, pass it on to the younger generation. Thinking about how to achieve this, I vaguely felt that if it were recognized abroad, it would make an impact. So, I decided to exhibit at the Slow Food world event held every two years in Italy. Slow Food is a grassroots movement originating in Italy that aims to preserve and pass on rich regional food cultures. With local foods gathering from all over the world, amanatto was a perfect fit.

Create a globally recognized brand.

So, I consulted with Masashichi Nakagawa, chairman of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, who is renowned for his expertise in business revitalization and branding for traditional crafts. He listened to everything—the history of our amanatto, its current situation, and my own vision.

As we met repeatedly through the consulting process, the vague uncertainties I had been feeling were distilled into a clear concept: "Lending a hand to nature's bounty." Furthermore, Chairman Nakagawa’s remark, "If you break down amanatto, it's just beans and sugar; fundamentally, it’s 'seeds' and 'sugar'," led us to the brand name "SHUKA," which succinctly expresses this essence.