🍱 Imobera Azuki

Known for being the production area of Tosa washi paper, Ino-machi is located in the central part of the prefecture. In this area, people have since long ago called dried sweet potatoes, cherished as the taste of winter, “hera.” After thoroughly boiling whole sweet potatoes for many hours, they are hung up to dry as-is, and once the outsides have begun to dry, they are sliced into rounds and dried again; the finished product is called “yudebera” or “nibera.” “Imobera azuki” is a confection local to Ino-machi, in which yudebera and azuki beans are boiled with sugar. It is distinct for its sticky texture and fluffy, unsophisticated sweetness. In areas outside of Ino-machi, yudebera are commonly called “higashiyama.” Higashiyama may be eaten as-is or slightly toasted for an even more superb taste. Higashiyama's moist texture and rich sweetness make it popular as a prefectural product. “Imobera azuki” is a name limited to Ino-machi, but it is also deeply familiar to the people of Kochi Prefecture.