A ceremony commemorating the birthplace of "Ogura-an," a type of sweet bean paste used in Japanese confectionery, was held on April 11, 2026, at Nison-in Temple in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City. Representatives from the Japanese confectionery industry and government officials attended, praising the achievements of the pioneers who invented the paste.
It is said that Ogura-an originated in the Heian period when Kukai brought red beans back from China. Izumi Wasaburo, a confectioner living near Mount Ogura, cultivated the beans, added sugar, and boiled them down before presenting them to the imperial court. The ceremony, held since 2005 by the "Ogura-an Birthplace Commemoration Association," aims to preserve this history.
At the ceremony, attendees offered newly cultivated red beans at the commemorative monument and prayed for the development of Japanese confectionery. The annual festival of Izumi Myojin Shrine, dedicated to Izumi Wasaburo and rebuilt next to the monument last year, was also held concurrently.
Sahei Tsuda, representative of the commemorative association (and chairman of Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo), said, "Together with the people of the community, we want to pass on the story of the origin of Ogura bean paste as a beautiful tale to future generations."
