If you visit Rusutsu Village in Abuta County, why not try the famous "Original Miso Manju" as a souvenir? Although it's called a miso manju, it doesn't contain any miso paste, and there's even a strange legend behind it. It's an interesting and delicious manju. Miso manju is sold by Umeya Co., Ltd. in Rusutsu Village. It is a sweets store located along National Route 230, and you can easily find it as it has a large sign saying "Miso Manju" at the entrance. The main ingredients of miso manju are carefully selected red beans from Tokachi, wheat flour, rice flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, etc. As you may have noticed, the word "miso" is nowhere to be found. However, as the name suggests, the appearance of the manju gives off a vague miso-like flavor. When you try it, the chewy skin and smooth bean paste have a simple taste that will leave you wanting more. They are also bite-sized and easy to eat, so you'll find yourself eating two or three in a row. The fact that they contain no additives is also reassuring. Even though they are manju, they are individually wrapped, so they would make a great souvenir. The retro design is strangely appealing. Well, there is a strange legend about this miso manju. Apparently, in the late Meiji period, when the first store owner was selling daifuku mochi in Rusutsu Village, a traveling monk with completely white hair stopped by and taught him how to make miso manju. He left behind the words, "If you make this together with miso manju, it will be well received by farmers and travelers working hard to develop the area. It's very nutritious." As instructed by the monk, they made a combination of daifuku mochi and miso buns, and carriage drivers who passed by at that time would stop by the previous owner's shop to take a break, fill their stomachs with daifuku mochi and miso buns, and then head off over the mountains. Miso manju is still made using traditional methods. As mentioned above, it contains no additives, so please note that the expiration date is short, 2 days in summer and 3 days in winter. By the way, it will last for 1 week in the refrigerator and over 1 month in the freezer. Apparently it can also be fried with a light batter, so why not try to find the best way to eat it for yourself? <Miso Manju Honpo Umeya Co., Ltd.> Address: 53-1 Rusutsu, Rusutsu Village, Abuta District, Hokkaido Phone: 0136-46-3450