"Ukihoshi" is a sweet snack made of glutinous rice (arare) covered in sugar syrup. At first glance it looks like kompeito, but slightly different. Because it is made of arare, the flavor is simple and not too sweet.
During the Meiji era (1868-1912), because of its convenient location as a hub for the Kitamae-bune ships transporting goods along the Sea of Japan coast, Niigata Prefecture boasted the largest population in Japan as a port town. It was in this port town of Niigata that this sweet snack was born, when the "round sugar candy that floats in hot water" was introduced by the neighboring Aizu (Fukushima Prefecture) and met the bumpy star-like candy from Portugal, called "kompeito."
Considering that sugar was a luxury product at the time, this candy must have been quite alluring to the public. It was loved by the people of Niigata, who enjoyed its sweetness by placing it in hot water or giving it as a gift. However, as a wider variety of Western confections became available and with the changing of times, many of the factories in the prefecture shut down. By the end of the Heisei era (late 2010s), the makers of this treat dwindled down to a single person working at one factory, the Meiji-ya Yukari Store. As a result, it became a very rare treat.
We were worried that this treat would go extinct if nothing was done, so we created a successor with the new brand, "Ukihoshi." The letters and design were created in order to convey the charm of the confection to people all around Japan who might still be unfamiliar with it. The brand name "Ukihoshi" was inspired by the cute star-shape (hoshi) and the unique method of consuming the snack by floating (uki) it in hot water and drinking it. We hope that you will enjoy this snack while also appreciating its geographical background and history.
Originally this treat was eaten by pouring hot water over it. When you actually try pouring water over the star-shaped treats they initially sink, but within a few seconds the sugar coating dissolves and the arare floats to the surface. Watching the little arare float to the surface is so cute, you can't help but say, "Oh, wow!" Please give it a try. ☆彡
