Shingen Mochi: Yamanashi's Kinako-Dusted Soft Mochi Sweet

Shingen mochi is a soft, unfilled mochi dusted heavily in roasted soybean flour, known as kinako, and served with a small packet of dark brown sugar syrup, kuromitsu, poured over just before eating. The combination of nutty kinako and rich kuromitsu against plain chewy mochi is simpler than most wagashi, which is a large part of its lasting appeal to both locals and visitors.

It takes its name from Takeda Shingen, the 16th-century warlord strongly associated with the Kofu area, and is now one of Yamanashi's most recognizable food souvenirs. It's typically sold in small individual portions bundled in a cloth wrapping tied like a coin purse, a practical format for eating on the move or packing several as gifts.