The world of wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) is big, and while treats like mochi, dorayaki and castella are stand-outs, other traditional treats deserve plenty of love. One great example of a treat that deserves more even more recognition worldwide is yokan, a simple, jelly-like sweet that has been in Japan for hundreds of years.
Today, we’re taking a deep dive into yokan, so you can learn about its long history, its variations and even how to make it!
What is Yokan
This ultra smooth treat add a bit of joy to every tea time for us. Image via Instagram
Like we mentioned, yokan is a type of Japanese traditional sweet, or wagashi, that can best be described as a block (or slices) of red bean jelly. Yokan has a smooth texture, a subtle sweetness, and most commonly, a red bean flavor, but also comes in a variety of flavors and shapes.
This treat is relatively simple in terms of ingredients, with a basic yokan consisting of water, koshian (smooth red bean paste), sugar and kanten, also known as agar-agar. Kanten is similar to gelatin in that it creates a jelly-like texture when heated and cooled, but kanten is derived from seaweed and is therefore a vegan/vegetarian-friendly option.
Generally speaking, yokan has two types: neri yokan and mizu yokan. Neri (kneaded) Yokan uses more kanten which leads to a firmer, thicker final treat. To contrast, Mizu (water) Yokan uses more water which creates a texture closer to jelly that is especially refreshing during the summer if you chill it first. (Although, both Fukui and Tochigi traditionally eat mizu yokan in winter.)
This is a summer favorite of ours, especially with tasty flavors like grapefruit or hojicha! Image via Instagram
However, there are plenty more variations on this treat, including fillings, flavorings, unique presentations and more.
If you’re looking for Japanese treats, including yokan and other wagashi, check out our Japanese Sweets selection to try popular and beloved treats from all over Japan!
Why is Yokan so Popular?
Part of yokan’s popularity is just due to its wonderfully sweet flavor and smooth texture. It’s also popular for its vegan-friendliness, especially with modern varieties that exchange cane sugar for dates. Another aspect is the way this treat is being used to create edible art by layering different colors and shapes of yokan to make a treat for the eyes as well.
It’s also gaining popularity in Japan as both a viable survival and sports treat. Yokan is long-lasting at room temperature but also handles temperature changes really well. Add in the fact that yokan designed for sports is low-fat, high-calorie, high in protein and dietary fiber, and overall nutritious and it becomes a great option to keep on hand for emergencies or to take along with you for energy replenishment when rock climbing, running, hiking and more.
This is one of those treats that lends itself to "edible art" thanks to its amazing layering potential. Image via Instagram
How to Enjoy Yokan
Much like other wagashi, yokan is best to enjoy with Japanese tea or with coffee. While not overly sweet, the sweetness is balanced with the flavors of teas like matcha and sencha and with coffee. And personally, I like to take a bite of yokan in between sips of either coffee or matcha so that each bite tastes just as sweet as the next.
Where did Yokan Come From
Yokan has an interesting and rather long history, with its origins going back to the Kamakura period (1185-1330). Although yokan as we know it is a uniquely Japanese treat, it’s actually a variant of a Chinese dish. Its Chinese origin is revealed in the name (羊羹), with the yo (羊) meaning sheep and the kan (羹) meaning broth or soup.
This dish was originally a mutton soup that, when cooled, would congeal into a jelly-like dish called nokogori in Japanese. It was brought from China during the Song dynasty by Japanese Buddhist monks alongside tea culture, including the idea of sweets with tea. However, there’s one major problem with the dish: Japanese Buddhists were vegetarians.
Could you imagine these "Milky Way" Yokan made from sheep soup? Because I can't. Image via Instagram
This is where the Japanese version came about. Initially, to replace the sheep gelatin, they added red bean paste (anko) and red bean flour or kneaded barley paste while keeping the soup concept.
Eventually, they removed the soup but kept the paste-like product similar to modern yokan. It wasn’t until the invention of kanten in the 1600s in Japan that we got the final version that we know and love today.
Types of Yokan
Like we mentioned earlier, mizu yokan and neri yokan are the two main types of yokan, but there is a pretty wide variety of yokan available here in Japan!
Matcha Yokan
Yokan goes with matcha anyway, so this treat seems like a natural next step. Image via Instagram
Matcha Yokan is a simple variation that incorporates matcha, creating a treat with a deep green color and matcha flavor, bitterness included. It actually has chlorophyll (which gives matcha its flavor) and vitamin B, leading to its status as a nutritional food. Most commonly made as neri yokan but can be found in mizu type as well.
Chestnut Yokan
Chestnuts add a great bit of texture to every bite and pairs great with the red bean paste. Image via Instagram
Chestnut Yokan is another simple variation of neri yokan which adds pieces of chestnut to this treat. When sliced, each slice should have a nice piece of yellow chestnut with a firm texture and added flavor.
Fruit Yokan
You can often find this variety made with shiroan, or white bean paste, creating a contrast with colorful fruit. Image via Instagram
Fruit yokan is yet another simple twist on the classic. This variety features fruits embedded right into yokan. Plenty of fruit yokan makers will use both local and seasonal fruits, dried or not, that add refreshing fruity flavor to each bite. You can even find variations that use a white variety of yokan using white bean paste for a lighter flavor that lets the fruit shine.
Imo Yokan
I've never tried an imo yokan with a banana cream topping, but it looks delicious. Image via Instagram
Imo Yokan makes use of Japanese sweet potatoes (imo or satsumaimo) by steaming and kneading them before finally putting them into a typical yokan shape and letting them cool. Fun fact: Early versions of this treat were originally made in the Edo period, but was finally made as we know it in the Meiji era. It was during this time that it was made for the average person who couldn’t afford standard yokan at the time!
Tama Yokan
You can sometimes find special shapes of this variation, like these adorable heart-shaped ones. Image via Instagram
Tama Yokan are a cute variation that puts this treat in a small plastic balloon. Tama means ‘ball’ denoting this variety’s perfect roundness. Tama yokan was originally made in Fukushima but spread in popularity due to it being part of military provisions. It was easy to eat while walking, so it was perfect for soldiers. Eventually, after the war, it was mass-produced and sold to the country as a whole.
Mushi Yokan
Mushi Yokan is often considered to be the third type of yokan, having many of the same variations as the other two types. Image via Instagram
Mushi yokan is a very different take on yokan. First, Mushi, in the case of cooking, means steamed, making this a steamed variety. Second, this variety swaps kanten with wheat flour, creating a chewier texture. The added texture kind of makes it look more like fudge than jelly.
Regional Varieties
There are quite a few regional varieties of yokan, but time’s sake, we’ll just give a few that really stood out to us as being particularly interesting.
Ogi-Yokan
This popular regional variety is one of the closest to the original methods you can try. Image via Instagram
Ogi-Yokan is a Saga Prefecture specialty that is very similar to regular yokan. However, in Saga, they still use and preserve the traditional method of pouring the kneaded yokan mixture into wooden molds, where it sets before being cut with a knife.
However, this method leads to a unique point for Ogi-yokan. As it dries naturally, the sugar crystallizes on the outside of it, creating a crunchy outer and a moist, smooth inner.
Kurodama (by Sawata-ya)
This popular souvenir is available both in Yamanashi and in Tokyo's department stores in the souvenir sections. Image via Instagram
Kurodama is a very unique variation of yokan that originates in Yamanashi. It’s actually made by one specific shop called Sawata-ya, established way back in 1911, and this has been their signature treat since 1929.
For this version, they first create a bean paste that uses peas to give it a greenish-hue. This sweet paste is then wrapped in a thin layer of yokan that creates a shiny black sphere of deliciousness with a creamy green filling. You can find this treat in the souvenir sections of department stores, especially in Tokyo.
Gokatteya Yokan Can
This popular regional variety has become a popular Hokkaido souvenir! Image via Instagram
Gokatteya is a Hokkaido sweets maker specializing in yokan, but their most famous product is their Maru-kan Yokan, or round can yokan. This variety places the iconic treat into a long circular can. You enjoy this treat piece by piece, creating little red bean jelly discs.
These treats aren’t just great with tea. The shop recommends eating them on ocha-zuke (rice in tea) or with whisky and scotch.
Wine Yokan
Wine on its own is becoming a popular, high-class yokan ingredient, but some shops have created a unique sangria-inspired treat. Image via Instagram
While not necessarily regional anymore, this treat allegedly originates in Yamanashi where it was made with local grape alcohol. However, Hokkaido also has a claim to this unique treat with the recorded production and sale of this treat. The disagreement rises from the idea of when it was actually produced and sold.
The Yamanashi shop’s proof is the permission to produce wine yokan dating back to 1968, but no records of when they started selling it. However, the Hokkaido shop has well-documented records of both production and sale dating back to 1974.
How to Make Yokan at Home
This recipe won't make this level of yokan, but with enough practice, you may be able to replicate this. Image via Instagram
I’m going to be honest. I’m not a chef, but I can give you this recipe that we tried from chopstickschronicles.com. In terms of ingredients, all you really need is water, kanten (agar-agar), smooth red bean paste (koshian), and sugar. Just note that kanten comes in two forms: blocks or powder.
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If you’re using blocks, put the yokan and water into a small saucepan and soak the kanten for about 30 minutes. If you’re using kanten powder, just pour in and get started.
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Put the pan over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and whisk well. Then, put the heat on low, continue stirring and let it simmer until the kanten dissolves completely. (It shouldn’t take very long–maybe a minute or two.)
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Add sugar and stir until it’s fully incorporated.
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Stir in your red bean paste until it combines and the mixture thickens. If you scoop it with a spatula and the mixture is thick but flows off the spoon, you can turn off the heat.
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Pour the mixture into a rectangular container. Japanese folks traditionally use a nagashikan, but a rectangular container is good enough.
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Chill in the fridge until it firms up (about 2 hours). When ready, just slice it up into smaller servings and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.
And all that's left is for you to enjoy this delicious treat for yourself. Image via Instagram
And that’s our guide to the amazing jelly-like treat known as yokan. From China to Japan, this treat transformed into a uniquely Japanese treat that is becoming more and more popular, with its texture, sweetness and flavor. We love this treat and hope you give it a try!
To try this treat for yourself, check out our Yokan Selection! And if you’re craving other Japanese sweets, check out our Japanese Sweets Collection, too!
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