Sekishu-an Confections

Sekishuan’s Signature Sweet, Proudly Made Since Our Founding

At Sekishuan, confectionery making begins with crafting *anko*—sweet red bean paste. Our goal is to create anko that is juicy, aromatic, and full of life. When tasted, it releases the rich flavor of azuki beans, enhanced by the natural sweetness of sugar, then melts smoothly and pleasantly in the mouth, leaving a clean, refreshing aftertaste. Flavor, texture, and aroma—only when all three are in perfect harmony can we call it our ideal anko.

Anko is said to be the soul of wagashi. That’s why we are uncompromising in our choice of ingredients and methods. While it is common to boil azuki beans from cold water, at Sekishuan we start from boiling water, cooking the beans rapidly. This short-cooking method minimizes flavor loss into the cooking liquid, resulting in anko with a deep and distinct bean flavor.

This unique technique became possible about 20 years ago, thanks to a meeting with a group of producers in Tokachi, Hokkaido—**Tokachi Ichi Carat**, known for cultivating the highest quality azuki beans. Most beans in distribution are a mix from various farms, leading to inconsistent quality. However, the beans from Tokachi Ichi Carat are carefully selected, single-variety, and fully matured—ensuring even texture and full flavor when quickly boiled.
These azuki beans are the essential foundation of Sekishuan’s anko.