🍡 Mizu Manju (Water Sweet Mochi)

"Mizu Manju" is a type of steamed bun made with a dough composed of kudzu powder and warabi powder, filled with sweet red bean paste, and then chilled using well water. The creation of Mizu Manju is said to date back to the Meiji era. Owing to the abundant underground water in Ogaki, known as the "City of Water," many households used well water to cool vegetables and fruits in a device called the "idobune" (well boat) as an alternative to refrigerators. Mizu Manju was developed as a refreshing summer sweet to enjoy during this time. In its early stages, Mizu Manju was made using only kudzu powder. However, kudzu powder easily dissolves in water and becomes firm when chilled. To address this, water-resistant warabi powder was incorporated into the recipe, resulting in a delightful and chewy texture for Mizu Manju when chilled.