YAMASAN KYOTO UJI Traditional Japanese Wagashi Sweets Yokan - Sweet Koshian Anko Paste Jelly Cake, Wasanbon Sugar, No Coloring, Gluten Free, Made in Japan 240g(8.4OZ)

Yokan is one of Japan's most storied confections, a sweet with roots stretching back around 680 years, slowly refined over centuries into the jelly block dessert it is today - it's same treat that Ryu snacks on in Street Fighter! This version from YAMASAN KYOTO UJI is made of white koshian bean paste made from lima beans and white peas rather than the more common azuki red bean, which gives it a lighter flavour profile. Combined with Wasanbon sugar, a rare traditionally handcrafted Japanese sugar produced in small batches in Kagawa and Tokushima prefectures, the sweetness is refined well. It has me saying "hmm not too sweet". The texture is a firm, springy jelly. It slices beautifully with the little plastic knife included in the tin. I've been enjoying mine chilled from the fridge alongside a matcha or black coffee.

Your enjoyment of this will depend on whether or not you have tried Japanese sweets in the past. The sweet has a somewhat jelly-like consistency, and the taste, though caramel, is not particularly sweet. The sweet comes in a block, rather like a block of tofu, and is accompanied with a sharp plastic knife with which you can chop it into pieces. I find this to be perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, it isn't particularly sweet and it's a very small amount of food, perfect for an afternoon treat. Given the high quality of the ingredients and the fact that this is a Japanese product, it is fairly pricey, but is pretty much value for money given the kind of similar sweets that you can buy in Japanese shops. The texture, which is jelly-like, is something that you will either love or hate, and I certainly would recommend trying this somewhere first before committing to buying it. However, I really like this and recommend it to anyone who is looking for fine Japanese sweets.

This is obviously subject to personal taste. For me, I didn't like the texture and the taste was odd. Whether it is proper traditional Yamasan Kyoto UJI or not I don't know, so I can't comment. However, for me, it wasn't the best sweet. But nice to try it at least!

This is very different from what one in the UK would expect for a 'sweet'. Of course, these are from Japan so they're going to be unique and different to what we are used to here. I quite enjoy Japanese food and cook it very often at home but I had never had this specific sweet treat. It comes in nice packaging and the sweet is in a 'block' form, it looks like a slab of brown jelly. You have to remove the plastic lid and cut it to your preferred size with the included mini plastic knife. The texture is very much similar to that of jelly (it is a little wobbly and splits easily) but it definitely had a bit more texture and body. I cut a cube out of the tray to try it out. I found it to be quite sweet, almost like a rich caramel type of sweetness paired together with a red bean paste flavour. I've tried red bean paste before in mochi. This sweet had that same beany flavour but with a caramel sweetness. On the packaging, it recommends to have this with a coffee or tea. It is very sweet so I tried it again with a black coffee and enjoyed it even more the second time around. The sweetness of this treat really worked well with the bitter coffee. I think this comes in a good size and it is easy to cut out the exact amount you want. Again, it is quite a sweet treat so a little piece goes a long way so I expect this to last me a couple of weeks as I will be enjoying it with my daily coffee. Once opened, this product must be refrigerated. I have put a bit of cling film over the top and it seems to keep as good as when freshly opened. I appreciate this is a product from Kyoto, Japan and, therefore, an import but the current price is absolutely exorbitant and I am sure this would be quite easy to find at a more affordable price point in a specialised store online. Still worth a try if you can find it cheaper or if the price point is not a bother.

I bought these sweets as something different with my tea at weekends, it is very sweet but for those wishing to go to Japan like I am, or simply like something sweet with their tea, they are well worth the try!

Very tasty treats, bought because I saw ryu eating this in street fighter.

Thought we would get this as a treat, wrong. Consistency of mushy wet semolina, no real flavour apart from sickly auger. Comes just as a wet block of sludge in a plastic tray. Unpleasant is too strong, but it's borderline and this is too sweet but could be baby food if a bit runnyier . Small package, one boring flavour, no variety, looks incipid as block and not value for money. No idea how anyone would like it

Has a firm jelly type consistency, easy to cut into bite sized pieces with the supplied small plastic knife. The closest taste i can think of is caramel, not as strong but has that flavour to me, quite sweet and the same colour. I lived in Thailand for a couple of years and some of their deserts were similar. The size of the pack is large enough for a few people to polish off in one sitting, although i couldn't eat too much in one go personally. It might seem expensive but the ingredients are premium, its a marmite sort of thing, you will either love of you don't.