Happy New Year! Pine trees, an essential for New Year’s decorations, have long been considered sacred trees, said to be “trees that wait for the gods”. The New Year Gods find their way back home by following the evergreen branches of the pine tree. Matsukazari, the pine tree decorations at the entrance are a marker for the New Year Gods to visit each home from above. Furthermore, there are many colors associated with pine tree leaves, such as Chitose-Midori, Tokiwa-Iro, and Oi-Midori. Matsuba-iro has been considered a color of celebration since the Heian period, which was about 1000 years ago. Magically even as winter deepens and the weather turns colder and colder, pine trees continue to show their beautiful colors. Let’s welcome the new year as we cherish the Japanese traditions that have been handed down from ancient times. Our pair of seasonal canelés for this month, “Kuri-kinton” and “Yuzu” are available from the 6th of January. Yuzu canelés are with apricot mixed dough and decorated with our homemade jam using the whole Yuzu on top. The fresh sweetness and sourness of yuzu are concentrated in each canelés. Kuri-kinton canelés are with sweet potato paste made with Japanese Naruto Kintoki inside, decorated with caramelized chestnuts and golden leaves. People eat Kuri-kinton to wish for good wealth. Please enjoy the mild sweetness. Our shops will be back in business from Saturday, January 6th for the New Year. We hope you will enjoy our canelés next year as well!

あけましておめでとうございます。お正月飾りに欠かせない松は「神を待つ木」と言われ、古くから神聖な木とされてきました。年神様は冬でも緑を絶やさない松の枝を頼りに、それぞれの家に帰ってきます。玄関に飾る松飾りは、年神様が地上に降りてくるときに家々を訪れる目印です。また、松の葉にちなんだ色がたくさんあることをご存知ですか？「松葉色」は平安時代からおめでたい色とされ、他にも「千載緑」「常盤色」「老緑」などがあります。冬が深まり、寒さがいちだんと厳しくなっても、変わらず美しい色を見せてくれる松。古来より受け継がれてきた日本の伝統を大切に、新しい年を迎えたいものです。1月の季節のカヌレは 「栗きんとん」と「ゆず」が、1月6日(土)よりお目見えです。「ゆず」は杏の生地に柚子の皮・実・果汁を丸ごと使った自家製ジャムを絞りました。柚子の爽やかな酸味と香りがぎゅっと詰まった一品です。「栗きんとん」は国産のなると金時ペーストのさつまいも餡をたっぷり入れ、栗の甘露煮に金粉を散らしました。お節料理にも欠かせない栗きんとんは金運上昇の願いが込められています。ほくほくやさしい甘さに口元が綻んでしまいます。新年は1月6日(土)からオープンします。今年もよろしくお願いいたします。