Otabe (おたべ)
Otabe is the name of a Kyoto-based (Minami Ward, Kyoto City) sweet manufacturer, and also the name of its main product, a soft sweet dumpling filled with chunky sweet azuki bean paste called "nama-yatsuhashi."
The company also manufatures chocolates and cookies for sale as souvenirs at Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan.
Main Products
Otabe (nama-yatsuhashi)
Kuro (black) Otabe, made with black sesame.
Seasonal Otabe products
Aki (autumn) Otabe, filled with murasaki imo, or purple sweet potato, and sweet chestnut. Fuyu (winter) Otabe, filled with black beans and mashed sweet chestnut.
History
1946: Established as a Japanese pastry retailer on the corner of Kawaramachi-dori and Rokkaku-dori Streets.
1949: The pastry shop started selling yatsuhashi under the name 'Kyogonomi Yatsuhashi Honpo.'
1957: The company started manufacturing yatsuhashi.
1965: The company established 'Sakaiya.'
1966: Sakaiya started selling 'Otabe' nama-yatsuhashi. 1969: The company changed its name to Otabe.