What is a daifuku?

A daifuku is a small round cake made from sweet rice flour, which is what gives the daifuku its soft chewiness. It originates from Japan, where it is enjoyed with coffee, tea, or even an after-dinner drink. A daifuku is filled with a sweet, aromatic paste made from azuki beans that pairs well with the natural sweetness of the rice cake. At Mebukiya, we use only the finest sweet rice flour and azuki beans to produce a snack that is not only delicious, but also healthy and free of preservatives.
 

What is sweet rice flour?

Sweet rice flour is an ingredient prepared by milling a sticky variant of rice known as mochi. Not only is sweet rice flour easy to digest, it is also naturally gluten-free, making it a healthy alternative to wheat flour and cornstarch. It can be used in a wide range of recipes to produce a smooth texture that can give any food a touch of elegance. In Japan, sweet rice flour has been used in cooking for centuries and continues to be a beloved ingredient.
 

The history of daifuku

Our daifuku was born in the town of Shiwa in Iwate, northern Japan. The soil and climate here are perfect for growing grains—especially mochi rice. The Himenomochi brand of mochi cultivated here is considered one of the best in Japan. Over the centuries, the town developed a rich tradition of kneading, baking, and steaming their grains into new forms of food. Out of this culture came daifuku.  

The culture behind daifuku

Daifuku were traditionally prepared by the women in the family, who would mill the rice themselves and knead the flour into cakes. There’s something heartfelt and movingly simple about this tradition that we’ve tried to preserve by making our daifuku the old-fashioned way. That means preparing each daifuku with plenty of care and using only high-quality ingredients that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers would have approved of—no unnecessary preservatives.   

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About Mebukiya

Mebukiya was founded in 1954. Today, we are based in the city of Hanamaki in Iwate, northern Japan. We manufacture a wide range of Japanese rice cakes—both popular classics and modern twists on traditional recipes—as well as different types of rice flours.

In Japanese, our name means “the place where new shoots sprout.” While the name is a reference to the cycle of good rice harvests that allow us to make our products, it also refers to our belief that by coming up with new products in every new era, we can keep Japan’s cake-making traditions alive for generations to come.

In March 2024, we set up a food stand inside Morioka Train Station offering items more in line with contemporary tastes, such as gelato served with rice cake balls and walnut sauce. The stand has proven a hit with young people—and even with tourists coming from overseas.

Mebukiya Online Shop
Company Overview

 

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Store Information

Japan

Biotope Mebukiya

This restaurant located inside a wood-and-stone cottage with an enormous backyard provides a scenic place to enjoy not just our cakes, but also meals such as tempura and soba noodles.

 

Mebukiya Shiwa Store

Located in the birthplace of Mebukiya, this store is where Japan’s first freezable rice cakes were produced. Our journey began here and has now taken us across the world.

 

Stand by Mebukiya

This food stand right outside the ticket gates of Morioka Train Station sells a selection of our cakes, as well as gift boxes, shakes, and gelatos. Its location makes it ideal for grabbing a snack or souvenir just before catching a shinkansen train to Tokyo.

 

Mebukiya Online Shop

Our official online shop makes it easy to enjoy our cakes whenever and wherever you want. All items are frozen through our patented process before delivery so they will taste as fresh as when we made them. Gift deliveries are also available.