Manju is a very traditional Japanese sweets.
There are many varieties of Manju but the most common one has an outside made from flour and a filling made of sweet azuki paste. They are boiled but served cold, usually at teatime.It is said that Manju was originally brought to Japan from China (in the 14th century) where meat was used as a filling. However, as eating meat was forbidden in Japanese Buddhism, Manju only became an accepted Japanese food when sweet azuki paste started being used as the filling. Since then, Manju has been eaten by Japanese people for almost 700 years in an array of varieties. There are many regional types of Manju and almost everywhere you go in Japan has its own version.
If you have a sweet-tooth, it may be a fun challenge to see how many different types of Manju you can find in Japan.
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