These patterned Japanese confections are too beautiful to eat

One Shiga-based confectionery is making a unique type of sweet that is Japanese all the way through.

Kanou Shoujuan’s “Kokoroyose Yui” sweet is an exquisite twist on the monaka bean paste sandwich. They’ve replaced the traditional bean paste filling of monakas with a slice of chocolate that comes in two flavors: matcha and kinako, or soy bean flour.

The chocolate is sandwiched between wafers printed with lovely images inspired by traditional Japanese pattern designs. There are ten variations to the patterns, each with an attached meaning that expresses wishes for another person, such as: “beckoning happiness” (Adonis ramosa flowers), “spiritual beauty” (cherry blossoms), and “gift of love” (rose).

The Kokoroyose Yui confections come in a box of 3 (810 yen), box of 5 (1,188 yen), and box of 10 (2,484 yen). They are available for a limited time from January 19 to February 14, 2022 through Kanou Shoujan (叶 匠壽庵) stores all across Japan.