Citrus abounds on Kyūshū and this Yutaka Shokai Sakurajima Komikan is Sakurajima’s answer to the hyūganatsu version from Miyazaki.

The komikan is an unusually small mikan (ko means ‘little’) with a diameter of 4-5 cm. They are local to Sakurajima, an active composite volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture, where they are an important commercial crop as the richness of volcanic ash in the soil on the island makes it unsuitable for rice cultivation. The fruit is known for its rich fragrance and sweetness which are more delicate and subtle than regular citrus.

These cakes emulate the Japanese custom of gifting fruit.

Inside, there are six cakes displayed as they could be in a fruit gift set in Japan. Each cake resembles the unusually small Sakurajima komikan in its orange colour and flattened spherical shape.

Each cake was about 5 cm in diameter and 4 cm in height, consisting of a baked flour ‘crust’ that surrounded a round of shiro-an or white bean paste that’s flavoured with komikan powder and at the centre of which was a dollop of komikan marmalade.

The cake had a slight hint of a citrus aroma coming from the central stem but otherwise smelled of just flour. Upon tasting, the baked shell did not bring komikan flavour but its firmness gave the komikan its shape and contrasted well with the softness of the centre. The shiroan centre delivered a fragrant citrus flavour with a delicate sweetness that culminated in an enjoyable richness with the first hint of acidity in the centre.

This Yutaka Shokai Sakurajima Komikan contained 6 pieces. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Kagoshima, Japan.