While Hokkaidō Prefecture is Japan’s leading corn producer, Aomori Prefecture is also known for cultivating corn, particularly dakekimi, a premium sweet corn grown in Hirosaki. The name combines Dake, referring to the area near Mount Iwaki where it is cultivated, and kimi, meaning corn in the local Tsugaru dialect.
Registered as a regional collective trademark in 2007, dakekimi is renowned nationwide for its exceptional sweetness. This is due to the area’s climate, particularly the significant temperature differences between day and night at an elevation of 400–500 metres. These conditions result in a high sugar content of 18 g per 100 g, comparable to many fruits. Harvesting in the early morning, when sweetness peaks due to cooler overnight temperatures, further enhances the flavour. The corn is also noted for its crisp and firm kernels, distinguishing it from regular varieties.
This is the Dakekimi Sweets Dakekimi Corn Waffle Cookie. It contained 0.39% dakekimi corn paste.
Each box contained 20 individually sealed cookies.
Each cookie had an oval shape with a ridged waffle grid surface and a golden-brown hue. It measured approximately 9.5 cm by 6 cm at its widest point, with a thickness of 3.5 mm.
The cookie had a mild sweet vanilla aroma. On tasting, it offered a light, snappy crispness, followed by a moderate crunch and mellow sweetness. As it rehydrated and melted on the palate, an intense sweet corn flavour emerged in the second half of the bite, reminiscent of freshly harvested corn straight off the cob. This sweetness spread across the palate, accompanied by a subtle savoury undertone in the finish.
Despite the vanilla notes in the aroma, its presence in the flavour was minimal, allowing the natural sweetness of the corn to shine. These were cookies worth purchasing to enjoy Aomori’s specialty corn.
This Dakekimi Sweets Dakekimi Corn Waffle Cookie contained 20 pieces. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Hirosaki, Japan in 2024.