# Kuri Kinton(mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnuts) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Kuri Kinton(mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnuts)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Tono Area centered on Nakatsugawa City and surrounding Areas

## Main Ingredients Used
Chestnut, Sugar

## History, Origin, and Related Events
When you hear "Kuri Kinton," you might typically think of it as a traditional New Year's dish, but in the area centered on the southeastern part of Gifu Prefecture, Kuri Kinton refers to a simple wagashi (Japanese sweet) made by steaming chestnuts once, then cooking them with sugar and forming them into the shape of a chestnut using a cloth. It's a straightforward sweet that allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of the chestnut itself. Originally, people used to eat chestnuts by boiling or roasting wild chestnuts, but over time, the method of squeezing boiled chestnuts with a cloth to create a form similar to Kuri Kinton emerged, marking the beginning of this confection.Considered the birthplace of Kuri Kinton and one of the leading chestnut-producing areas in the prefecture, Nakatsugawa City flourished during the Edo period as one of the important post towns along the Nakasendo highway, a major route connecting Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Kyoto and Osaka. The city developed its unique culture, including a thriving tea ceremony culture. As a result, there was a demand for delicious sweets to accompany tea, leading confectioners to compete and create various sweets using local chestnuts, giving rise to the creation of Kuri Kinton.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
September 9th is known as Choyo no Sekku, also called the Kuri no Sekku, and since ancient times, people have been praying for longevity by eating chestnut dishes and sweets on this day. Every year, from September to winter when chestnuts are in season, many people from both within and outside the prefecture visit Nakatsugawa to seek out chestnut sweets, including Kuri Kinton, to enjoy the delicious flavors of chestnuts.

## How to Eat
Boil raw chestnuts and remove the contents, add sugar and salt, and warm to blend. Put the blended mixture into a pot and knead well over low heat.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)From early September to early December, they are sold at Japanese confectionery stores in chestnut producing areas, mainly in the Tono district. Since each store has its own particular taste and texture, products have been developed for customers to enjoy comparing them, and the entire region is making efforts to hand down and commercialize them.The Nakatsugawa Confectionery Association, organized by confectionery stores in Nakatsugawa City, the center of the tradition, holds a Shinto ritual every year on the chestnut festival day (September 9), and distributes free "Kuri Kinton" along with the ritual.

## Ingredients
- Fresh chestnuts: 1 kg
- Sugar: 300 g
- Salt: a pinch

## Recipe
1. 1. Boil the chestnuts. While they are still hot, remove the contents. Carefully remove any fine roots or discolored parts.
2. 2. Combine the boiled chestnuts with sugar and add a pinch of salt. Warm them in the microwave to blend the flavors.
3. 3. Heat a thick-bottomed pot, add the mixture from step 2, and knead it carefully over low heat until it becomes well-mixed and slightly scorched.
4. 4. Wrap the kneaded dough in plastic wrap and roll it into a cylindrical shape.
5. 5. Once it becomes cylindrical, unwrap the plastic wrap and slice it into approximately 30g round pieces.
6. 6. Shape the sliced pieces into a round form for easy squeezing.
7. 7. Squeeze the rounded dough into the shape of a cloth dampened with water.

## Provider Information
provider : Nakatsugawa Tourist Association

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