著者

大山 重信 花園 冬子 Shigenobu OOYAMA Fuyuko HANAZONO

巻号頁・発行日

vol.38, pp.5-14, 1987-12-15

---

Karukan is one of the most popular and typical Japanese-style confections. It is made from yam, sugar, and rice flour in the main, and it is made in Kagoshima region especially. Akashiya, an old established shop for making and marketing of many kinds of confections including "Karukan", insists on "Karukan" was originated by Rokubei Yashima in the first year of Ansei (1854). But, Haraguchi discovered an ancient manuscript written in 1801. A menu was recorded in the manuscript, and it consisted of "Karukan" as well as various fine dishes. He also discovered an additional record of "Karukan". It was of 1786. Moreover, an older record of "Karukan" was discovered by Tsukiji by chance. It was written in the 6th year of Shotoku (1716). With the authority of those ancient manuscripts, Haraguchi takes a view of "Karukan" must be originated in around the Shotoku era when the sugar manufacture in the Amami Islands was coming to stay. Taking the history of sugar in Japan and the ancient manuscripts into consideration the authors guess "Karukan" was originated in about the time from 1686 to 1716.