This is the Kasugai Tsubu Gumi Premium Rich Pear, a limited edition release featuring three distinct pear flavours: La France from Yamagata Prefecture, Kōsui from Tochigi Prefecture, and Nijiseiki from Tottori Prefecture.

Each variety was well represented in the bag, with a balanced distribution ratio of 18:18:18. The confectionery used a double-layer technique, incorporating fruit juice into both the outer candy shell and the inner gummy centre to create a layered flavour experience.

The packaging included a flavour map positioning each pear type along three axes—sweetness (top), freshness (bottom left), and acidity (bottom right)—to highlight the intended sensory profile of each variety.

La France Pear (Yamagata Prefecture)
A green-yellow soft candy shell encased a translucent green yellow gummy core, containing 7.6% juice from La France pears. The exterior carried a mellow juiciness, while the interior delivered the variety’s hallmark fragrant, floral pear quality in concentrated form, leaving a lingering finish. This was distinctly identifiable as a Western pear, standing apart from the two nashi varieties.

Kōsui Nashi (Tochigi Prefecture)
A yellow soft candy shell encased a translucent yellow gummy core, with 7.4% juice from Kōsui pears. The shell offered a rich sweetness, but it was the interior that defined the flavour, releasing an intense honeyed sweetness balanced by vibrant freshness and moderate acidity. This captured the profile of Kōsui nashi with clarity.

Nijiseiki Nashi (Tottori Prefecture)
A beige soft candy shell encased a translucent beige gummy core, with 2.0% juice from Nijiseiki pears. The shell offered a generic sweetness, but the interior revealed a fragrant, juicy nashi character, with mellow sweetness and a refreshing touch of acidity. Less sweet yet more refreshing than the Kōsui, it presented a subtler profile.

 

Overall, the La France stood out for its impeccable expression of Western pear, while the Kōsui was the more compelling of the two nashi, offering a rich yet refreshing profile. The Nijiseiki, though more restrained, contributed a balanced counterpoint. Despite the inclusion of apple juice in the ingredients, it remained in the background, with the pear varieties firmly at the forefront. Consistent with the broader Tsubu Gumi Premium series, the textural contrast and layered fruit character were impressively executed.

This Kasugai Tsubu Gumi Premium Rich Pear contained 75 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Tōkyō, Japan in 2025.