Taking the word “adult” to its limits. 

There are many sweets stores in Japan, but right now there’s one that’s on everyone’s lips: Ginza Tsuki to Hana (“Ginza Moon and Flower”). Located in Tokyo’s upmarket Ginza neighbourhood, this store specialises in one thing only, “Otona no Jam Pan“, or “Adult Jam Bread“.

The word “otona” is commonly used in the sweets world to describe an indulgence that’s designed for adult palates, with much less sweetness in the mix than treats enjoyed by children. However, its literal translation as “adult” leads to some ambiguity from a Western viewpoint, especially when the adult jam bread looks like this.

It’s hard to know whether the creator of this bread really knew what they were doing when they added the “adult” moniker to this round bun with a slit in the centre, but the store claims it’s totally innocent, describing its use of “otona” with the following statement:

“The jam we use at our store focuses on the sourness of fruits rather than the sweetness, and has a sugar content (sweetness) that is about half that of commercially available jams. We do this because when the sugar content is raised, all fruits begin to taste similar…As a result, even though the sugar content is low, we have achieved a rich flavor that brings out the sugar content, acidity, and aroma of the fruit itself. This is why it’s a jam pie that’s strictly for adults.”

▼ In Japan, breads filled with jam or sweet pastes usually look like this, so the “adult” version has an elevated look and flavour.

Whether or not the double meaning of “adult” has anything to do with the look of the breads, they’ve certainly become extremely popular in Tokyo, despite being priced from 370-400 yen (US$2.48-$2.68) each, which is slightly expensive for a sweet bread.

▼ Ginza is known for its luxury vibe and expensive price tags, though, so in terms of the neighbourhood this is a reasonable price to pay for a small indulgence.

Our reporter P.K. Sanjun was in charge of taste-testing the adult breads, and after trying a bite of one untoasted, he told us frankly that it wasn’t delicious. However, when he toasted the bun in a toaster for about a minute, it became incredibly delicious, with the outside gaining a crunch that was similar to a savoury French bread.

▼ Despite the slight charring, once it was baked, it became light and crispy.

Tearing the berry one in two, the jam oozed out delectably, and upon tasting it, it made P.K.’s cheeks pucker with its distinct tartness. It was so astringent that some people might find it too sour, but although this was P.K.’s first time eating a jam with such a tart flavour, he found it to be delicious.

Next up, he tried the Adult Grape Jam, and it too was a tart experience. The sweet bread did a great job of offsetting the tartness to a certain extent, but there was no way this would appeal to children.

Then it was time for the apple, and by this stage, P.K. began to realise that the tartness of the jams really did help to accentuate the different flavours of the fruit contained within them. Even the apples here were more sour than sweet, which was another new experience for P.K.’s taste buds.

After trying the breads, P.K. can confidently say that they truly are for adults. It was his first time trying jam breads like these in Japan, and although he thinks they might be an acquired taste for sweet tooths, those with more bitter cravings will likely find these addictive.

Bakers in Japan really know how to push things to the extreme in Japan, where you can even find fried sandwiches filled with sweet and savoury fillings.

Store information
Ginza Tsuki to Hana / 銀座 月と花
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 4-10-6
東京都中央区銀座4-10-6
Open: From 10 a.m. until stocks run out
Website

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