In Nakatsugawa City, Ena City, and the surrounding Tono region of Gifu Prefecture, karasumi refers not to the processed roe of the mullet fish, as it does elsewhere in Japan, but to a traditional Japanese confection made from rice flour.
This local sweet has long been associated with Hinamatsuri, the Japanese Doll Festival, celebrated on March 3 to wish girls happiness and healthy growth. It is made primarily from rice flour and sugar and is a cherished part of the region’s seasonal food traditions.
One widely accepted theory is that the confection was named after the shape of fish-roe karasumi, which has traditionally been regarded as an auspicious food symbolizing fertility and the blessing of children.
The sweet is formed into a long, slender bar and cut into slices with a knife before serving. Its most distinctive feature appears on the cut surface: the cross-section resembles the shape of Mount Fuji, Japan’s iconic mountain.
Traditional karasumi comes in several varieties. The white version is sweetened with white sugar, while the dark version is made with brown sugar. Other variations incorporate ingredients such as peanuts, walnuts, purple sweet potatoes, or yomogi (Japanese mugwort).
Each version offers a different flavor and color, while retaining the characteristic Fuji-shaped cross-section. With its simple ingredients, auspicious symbolism, and connection to the Doll Festival, karasumi is a distinctive regional confection worth discovering when visiting the Tono area of Gifu Prefecture.