Tarto: Matsuyama's Rolled Sponge Cake With Red Bean Filling

Despite its name, Ehime's tarto isn't a pastry-crust tart — it's a rolled sponge cake, similar in construction to a Swiss roll, filled with sweetened red bean paste, sometimes flavored with yuzu. The recipe traces back to a jam-filled castella-style sponge cake introduced to Matsuyama centuries ago, reportedly by a feudal lord with exposure to Nagasaki's Portuguese trade influence, whose original citrus jam filling was later swapped for local red bean paste. Over time it became one of Ehime's defining confections, closely tied to Matsuyama specifically.

It's typically sold sliced into rounds that show the spiral of cake and filling, packaged in boxes that travel well, which is why it's such a common omiyage gift from Ehime. The sweetness is moderate rather than heavy, making it an easy match for green tea. You'll find it at train stations, supermarkets, and confectioners across the prefecture, with recipes and exact fillings varying slightly by maker, so flavor and texture aren't perfectly identical from one producer to the next.