Toward a New Culture of Traditional Sweets

Venerable confectioner Marui Suzuki established its Nihonbashi Nishikihorin brand with the aim of "revitalizing Edo favorites and promoting a new confectionery culture." For its time-honored treats, such as rice crackers and sweet, crunchy karinto, it selects premium ingredients including domestically produced rice and wheat.

Nihonbashi, where the company was founded, was a commercial center during the Edo period, a place that attracted people and things from all around Japan that together gave rise to a new culture. The company itself embodies the history of the area, and its products also evoke the world of the past to pay homage to Edo culture.

Rice crackers in the design of Mount Fuji — covered in snow or golden in the sunlight, with wrapping paper depictions of modern-day Tokyo at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Sweet, crunchy brown sugar and purple sweet potato karinto — a universal favorite.

The Seven Views of Edo Fuji refers to beloved Edo-period woodblock artist Hokusai and his Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji — Clear Wind, Fine Morning (Red Fuji) print, with seven flavors of rice crackers reflecting Fuji's ever-changing landscape. The soybean-flavored Edo Edamame-style Rice Crackers, with packaging featuring Sharaku's image of Edo celebrity actor Otani Oniji III, is also a popular Tokyo souvenir.

Karinto are a traditional snack made from a wheat flour dough topped with brown or white sugar. Nishikihorin's comes in more than 20 flavors. The exact thickness and texture of the karinto vary depending on the type, but their crispiness is always a hit. Experience Japanese confectionery culture at Nihonbashi Nishikihorin, where traditional Japanese sweets are given a modern twist.