[Choose Your Own] SHUKA gelato, 18 cups

A perfect companion for blissful adult moments

Enjoy it not only with Japanese or black tea, but also paired with your favorite specialty coffee during a work or housework break, or with Western spirits like wine, brandy, or whiskey for a special evening treat. We also recommend it as a topping for yogurt or ice cream. Its simple, rustic flavor allows you to discover your own unique way to enjoy it.

It is also a treat that can be shared and enjoyed by everyone, including vegetarians and those with major food allergies.

※It may contain some ingredients equivalent to specified raw materials. For more details, click here.

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 makes it a recommended choice for gifts and souvenirs.

Seeds and sugar only

SHUKA is made using an ancient food preservation technique known as "sugar curing." 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.

Preserving the natural texture of the seeds just enough.

First, we boil the ingredients to hydrate them. In traditional Japanese confectionery, it is common to boil ingredients as softly as possible to ensure they melt in the mouth; however, at SHUKA, we use a unique, carefully researched method that preserves not only the original shape and color of the seeds, but also their texture, resulting in an "al dente" chewiness.

Slowly soaked for three days

Next, we make a syrup and soak the ingredients. A physical phenomenon known as osmosis then causes the moisture inside the ingredients to be replaced by the sugar in the syrup, allowing the sugar to gradually seep in. This process stops once the sugar concentration inside the ingredients balances with the sugar concentration of the external syrup.

Applying this principle, we repeat the process of increasing the sugar concentration of the syrup and soaking the ingredients to ensure the sugar penetrates to the core. This process takes about three days.

Wasanbon, a sugar unique to Japan

Finally, to make it easier to eat and improve shelf life, we let it sit overnight to dry the surface. At this stage, we use Wasanbon, a sugar unique to Japan. It is a product passed down since the Edo period, made from "Chikutou," a domestic variety of sugarcane.

By sprinkling it lightly, we encourage the surface to dry while adding the gentle flavor of the sugar. Our artisans carefully 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 the initial preparation to complete a single SHUKA.

SHUKA uses only seeds and sugar. Therefore, we carefully select each individual ingredient, using only those of value to be preserved for future generations. Specifically, we make our judgments based on the following three criteria:

1. We know the faces of the producers
2. There is respect for nature
3. A 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-based family business specializing in "amanatto" (candied 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 don't want to be is an amanatto maker!" This was because, when I was in junior high school, I was teased for my family's business, with kids saying, "Sweet natto? That's gross." Being at such an impressionable age, I began to feel ashamed of our family business and started to hide 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 exposure to many different Japanese and Western sweets before joining the family business at 26. My first impression of amanatto was, "How old-fashioned." Compared to Western confections in particular, it lacked flair, was coated in excessive amounts of sugar, and came in generic packaging that could be found 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 thought that gaining recognition overseas might have an impact. So, I decided to submit it to 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 the rich food culture of local regions. With local foods gathering from all over the world, amanatto was a perfect fit.

Create a brand that competes on the global stage.

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 amanatto, our current situation, and my own vision.

As we proceeded with the consulting sessions, the vague thoughts I had been harboring were refined into a clear concept: "A gentle touch on nature's bounty." Furthermore, Chairman Nakagawa’s remark, "If you break down amanatto, it’s just beans and sugar; fundamentally, it’s 'seed' and 'sugar'," led us to the brand name "SHUKA," which succinctly expresses that essence.