Anpan

Anpan is a delightful Japanese sweet roll traditionally filled with red bean paste, though it can also feature other delicious fillings such as white beans, green beans, sesame, or chestnut. This treat has a captivating history, originating in 1875 during Japan's Meiji period. Yasubei Kimura, a former samurai adapting to Western influences in Japan, invented the first anpan. He opened a bakery called Bun'eidō, later renamed Kimuraya. Kimura ingeniously crafted a bread recipe that appealed to Japanese tastes by using traditional sakadane liquid yeast and filling the bread with bean paste.

Anpan quickly gained popularity, especially after it was presented to Emperor Meiji, helping it become a beloved treat across Japan. Beyond its culinary charm, anpan has made a significant impact on Japanese popular culture. It appears in various media, such as the cherished picture book and anime series "Anpanman" where the superhero has a head made of anpan. The sweet roll is also mentioned in popular anime series like "Clannad" "Gintama" and "Log Horizon" and even in tokusatsu series like "Denshi Sentai Denziman."

The influence of anpan extends to numerous characters and storylines. For instance, there's the burnt anpan character Kogepan from San-X and Akatsuki's fondness for anpan with green tea in "Log Horizon." In "Deadman Wonderland" anpan is featured as a prize in a race organized by the character Tamaki.