Sweet Potato Kenpi

I absolutely love sweet potato kenpi.

Sweet potato kenpi is a local dish from Kochi Prefecture made by slicing sweet potatoes thinly, frying them in oil, and coating them with a syrup made from sugar.

Traditional kenpi is a dried wheat-based confectionery passed down in Tosa (the old name for the Kochi area) since the Heian period. It’s a very chewy snack made by kneading flour, sugar, and water into dough, shaping it into long sticks, and baking it. The wheat- flour-based kenpi was an expensive treat, even offered as tribute to the feudal lord of Tosa.

Later, sweet potatoes were used instead of wheat flour, leading to the creation of the long, thin sweet potato kenpi. Of course, traditional kenpi is still made in Kochi prefecture today. I’ve never eaten it, but I’d love to compare it with sweet potato kenpi.

I’m planning to meet some friends in Tokyo soon. What should I take as a gift?

In Kakuozan, Nagoya, there’s a very famous sweet potato confectionery shop called “Yoshiimo.” While most of their items can be ordered online, the thin sweet potato kenpi called “Yoshiimo Hanabi” have a very short best- before date, so they can’t be shipped. The deliciousness of this “Yoshiimo Hanabi” is beyond compare.

If I buy it in Nagoya and take the shinkansen, my friend will get to enjoy something delicious, right? This is definitely the best gift.

Because I know my friends’ tastes, I want to bring them something they’ll truly appreciate. I’m so glad I found the perfect thing.

I hope they like it.