Japan is home to many unique crafts. Take the cuisine for example, artfully prepared with fresh, local ingredients to become some of the world’s best dishes. Then there’s the craft of cute character design, in which Japan reigns supreme, especially when it comes to little animal mascots. When these two ancient arts are brought together, however, magical things happen, like the Ponpon Purin Puddin Cake, or these Shiba Inu wagashi. Now a food manufacturer in Hyogo prefecture, western Japan, is launching two delicious puddings made with sweet black beans and served in ultra kawaii cat and dog-shaped containers. Check them out below while you wait to get your paws on them!

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The Pudding Producers

Nagomi Koubou, a food manufacturer in Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, is launching the black bean puddings this February 2020. The puddings use black beans grown on Nagomi Koubou’s own farm in the Sasayama basin. The black beans are recognized as some of the best in Japan because of Sasayama’s extreme temperature variation which is said to aid black bean growth. With such fine and fresh ingredients, it should make for some promising puddings!

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The Proof in the Pudding

Nagomi Koubou will sell two puddings, a dog-themed black soy milk pudding: Kuro-chan, and a cat-themed black bean custard pudding: Mame chan! The pots are decorated with charming character designs and come in a cardboard wrapping that has protruding ears for an outstanding kawaii effect.

Kuro-Chan: Black Bean Soy Milk Pudding

Adorable Kuro-chan is a black Shiba dog, with a button nose that looks like a black bean. The Kuro-chan pot contains black soy milk flavored pudding, of course made from Tamba soybeans. Inside the pudding, you will also find whole boiled black beans which add extra texture. The pudding’s dark color is created using shades of bamboo charcoal and it has subtly sweet, sophisticated flavor.

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Mame-Chan: Black Bean Custard Pudding

Cat lover will definitely prefer Mame-chan, a tabby cat character with creamy white color and cute whiskers! Mame-chan pots contain a milk-based custard pudding which is rich and creamy, with extra textures from the boiled black soybeans inside.

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Pick up Your Puddings

Desert lovers, you can savor the delicious locally-produced flavors of the Tamba Sasayama black bean from February 4th, and the left-over cute character pots can be enjoyed forever! Details below:

Nagomi Koubou Store

• Location: 503 Kawakita, Sasayama-shi, Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture
• Business days: Tuesday to Saturday
• Business hours: 11: 00-17: 00

Online Store:

Tamba Sasayama Black Bean Pudding Official Website

Product overview

• Release date: Tuesday, February 4, 2020
• Kuro-chan & Mame-chan set (each 3 pieces, total 6 pieces) 3,000 yen excluding tax
• Kuro-chan set (6 pieces) 3,000 yen excluding tax
• Mame-chan set (6 pieces) 3,000 yen excluding tax