Marusei Butter Sand is one of the best-known confectionery souvenirs from Hokkaido. Created by Rokkatei, a confectionery maker based in Obihiro, the popular treat consists of a rich filling sandwiched between crisp biscuits.
Marusei Butter Sand features a creamy filling made with white chocolate, Hokkaido butter and California raisins, enclosed between biscuits made from flour specially developed for Rokkatei in North America.
The butter used in the filling and biscuits is a special blend created specifically for this confection, and generous amounts are used in both components. The result is a rich yet balanced combination of buttery cream, sweet raisins and crisp biscuits.
Another popular Rokkatei confection is Shimodatami, which combines crisp, chocolate-flavored pastry with a mocha-white-chocolate cream. Together, these sweets showcase the company’s distinctive approach to rich but approachable Hokkaido confectionery.
Marusei Butter Sand has long been popular in Hokkaido, and its reputation spread throughout Japan from the late 1990s into the early 2000s. It eventually became one of the major souvenir confectioneries associated with Hokkaido, alongside other famous regional sweets.
The package itself is instantly recognizable. It features the characters “Marusei Bata”, a design inspired by the label of an early Hokkaido butter product. The retro-style package is a reproduction and reinterpretation of that historic label, giving the modern confection a distinctive connection to Hokkaido’s past.
The name Marusei comes from a mark combining a circle with the character “成.” It was originally the name of butter produced by Banseisha, the company established by Benzo Yoda, who developed a farm and agricultural enterprise in Hokkaido. In 1905, Banseisha commercialized butter under the name “Marusei Bata,” making it one of the earliest butter products produced in Hokkaido.
The packaging of Marusei Butter Sand was inspired by the original Marusei butter label. The use of the old-fashioned word “bata”, rather than the modern spelling, is part of the nostalgic design.
Marusei Butter Sand has several distinctive characteristics. White chocolate was incorporated into the product at a time when its use in a Japanese confection was particularly pioneering. Tokachi brandy, made from the same raw material used for Tokachi wine, is also included as a subtle flavoring.
Rum is used with the raisins to help remove the hard central texture of the fruit, creating a smoother and more harmonious filling.
Rokkatei is a confectionery company headquartered in Obihiro, Hokkaido. Its roots trace back to 1860, when Heibei Sasaki, a samurai from Akita, established a confectionery business in Hakodate. This business later became the foundation of what is now known as Senshu-an Sohonten.
From the Meiji era through the Showa era, the Senshu-an name expanded throughout Hokkaido. In 1977, the company left the Senshu-an business name and became Rokkatei Seika. Around the same time, Marusei Butter Sand was launched and quickly became a major hit, helping the company expand its sales network.
Rokkatei built a factory in the Obihiro Industrial Park in 1978. In 1987, the company acquired approximately 30 hectares in Nakasatsunai Village and developed the Nakasatsunai Art Village, a cultural project featuring museums, restaurants and other facilities designed to contribute to the cultural life of the region.
In 2010, Rokkatei opened Campana Rokkatei in the Furano area. Set in a scenic location overlooking the Tokachidake mountain range, the facility offers original products such as Furano Ankoromochi, made using locally produced green peas.
For travelers exploring Tokachi and eastern Hokkaido, Marusei Butter Sand is more than a sweet souvenir. Its ingredients, distinctive packaging and long history connect it with the agricultural heritage and confectionery culture of Hokkaido.