Interview with Bunkindo President and CEO Osaki Kantatsu and Senior Managing Director Osaki Takahiro
We spoke with President and CEO Osaki Kantatsu and Senior Managing Director Takahiro, who are father and son, about their thoughts on the shop.
Please tell us about the shop's history.
Kantatsu (surname omitted hereafter)
We opened in 1981.
After graduating from high school, I attended a vocational school, then trained at shops in Kyoto and Tokyo before opening my own business at the age of 30.
We first opened in Okayama City, not Kurashiki, where we are now. After operating there for about six years, we moved the shop to my hometown of Kurashiki.
Commitment to anko
What makes your shop distinctive?
Takahiro (surname omitted hereafter)
What makes our shop distinctive is that we make things by hand, using almost no machinery.
I think it's rare these days to make anko truly from scratch.
There are two types of anko: chunky and smooth.
Chunky anko is made by cooking the beans and adding salt and sugar, and it's not that difficult.
By contrast, smooth anko takes a great deal of work because you have to remove the skins, let the mixture settle to remove the scum, then add sugar and keep stirring over low heat so it doesn't burn.
Making smooth anko from scratch is like making the broth from scratch at a ramen shop.
What's more, the anko in every one of our sweets is different.
For monaka, for example, we cook the beans in a particular way, adjust the amount of sugar, and sometimes add agar and sometimes don't.
We also use different beans for different sweets.
The sweetness, cooking method, amount of sugar, and everything else about the anko varies depending on the sweet.
We adjust it according to the humidity and temperature, too. The more you work with anko, the more depth you discover.
People come in saying our anko is delicious, so that's something we definitely want to keep focusing on.
Using local fruit
Takahiro
We're particular about our fruit, too, and try to use locally grown produce.
For example, our strawberries, grapes, and peaches are all locally grown.
We also use some fruit from outside the prefecture, such as La France pears.
We want to use locally grown fruit as much as possible and create all kinds of new products.
What is your shop's most popular product?
Kantatsu
Our most popular product is the Oyama Meijin monaka.
The opening of the Oyama Memorial Museum inspired me to introduce this famous person from Kurashiki to people across Japan.
That led to the creation of this Oyama Meijin monaka.
I don't play shogi myself, but Oyama Meijin is well known among shogi enthusiasts nationwide, and above all, his records are incredible.
He set one unprecedented record after another.
When someone as great as him came from Kurashiki, of course you'd want to introduce him to people.
Its shogi-piece shape makes a striking impression, and it makes a popular gift.
Our hope is that through this sweet, people across Japan will learn about Oyama Meijin and Kurashiki.
Please tell us how you feel about your shop and its products.
Takahiro
At the shop, I want customers to enjoy delicious things that I've made myself.
The cost of ingredients is rising these days, but I always feel that I don't want to compromise on quality.
We want to offer products of consistently high quality and have customers enjoy things that we ourselves feel are safe, reliable, and delicious.
Even when suppliers bring us similar ingredients, we taste them side by side and use the ones we genuinely think are delicious.
Some things are too expensive for us to use, but our approach is to use delicious ingredients regardless of the price, to a certain extent.
I think that for customers to enjoy visiting, we need to offer a wide variety of sweets and always have something new.
Is there anything you'd like to try in the future?
Kantatsu
I want to keep pursuing the art of making sweets.
Trends in sweets change with the times.
When I was young, subdued sweets were the norm for tea gatherings, too.
But these days, young people prefer bright, cute sweets.
How can I keep up with the times and make sweets that delight our customers?
As a craftsman, I want to keep pursuing those things.
Sweets that delight customers and lift their spirits change with the times.
Being able to make things that suit the times is what makes a craftsman, and I want to keep making sweets that delight customers in every era.
From the Writer
“Kurashiki Yugaan Bunkindo” opened in 1981.
From our conversation, we could feel their deep commitment to anko.
You can enjoy a variety of sweets, including those inspired by local pride and seasonal ingredients.
The shop is set amid peaceful rural scenery, where we were able to enjoy a leisurely visit and a change from the everyday.
If you're visiting the Chayamachi area or enjoy Japanese sweets, stop by if you get the chance.
Bunkindo Co., Ltd. Information
| Name | Bunkindo Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Address | 155-6 Takasuka, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 086-482-0986 |
| Parking | Available Parking for 6 cars |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Wednesday Also closed on the second Tuesday of each month |
| Payment methods |
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| Reservations | Accepted |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | No restroom |
| Website | Japanese confectionery shop in Kurashiki, Chayamachi, Hayashima, and Takasuka [Bunkindo] |
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