Here we compare beni-imo tarts, a famous Okinawan souvenir, from four different makers.
The beni-imo tarts compared here are from four makers — Okashigoten, Nanpo, Shiroma Seika Sangyo and Ryubo Shoji — all tasted first-hand.
The conclusion is that
all four brands make a delicious beni-imo tart.
There is a ranking in the summary at the end, so read on — I hope it helps you choose a beni-imo tart.
About beni-imo tarts
As far as I could find, beni-imo tarts are sold by the following five companies.
- Okashigoten (Beni-imo Tart)
- Nanpo (Beni-imo Tart)
- Shiroma Seika Sangyo (Beni-imo Tart)
- Ryubo Shoji (Okinawa Beni-imo Tart)
- Okinawa Choju-en (Beni-imo Tart)
I have not tried Okinawa Choju-en’s beni-imo tart yet, so it is left out of this comparison.
Also, different makers write the name in kanji, hiragana or katakana, so check the maker carefully when you buy.
Okashigoten (Beni-imo Tart)
Ganso Beni-imo Tart is made and sold by Okashigoten in Yomitan Village, Okinawa, and it is a classic Okinawan souvenir.
It has a strong track record, with awards including six consecutive Monde Selection gold medals and an Honorary President’s Award.
It is probably one of the best-known Okinawan souvenirs of all — almost everyone in Okinawa has tried it.
Okashigoten (Beni-imo Tart): our impressions
The beni-imo tart is known for its rich beni-imo flavor and mellow texture.
The tart is piled with beni-imo paste — moist, with a beautifully judged sweetness.
It carries the aroma of beni-imo, which gives it a distinctly Okinawan feel.
Cut the beni-imo tart open and it looks like the image above.
It is piled with beni-imo paste, and just looking at it makes you hungry.
| Product type | Western-style confectionery |
| Manufacturer | Okashigoten Co., Ltd. |
| Manufacturer address | 657-1 Uza, Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Ingredients | Purple sweet potato (from Okinawa Prefecture), sugar, wheat flour, butter, egg, sweetened egg yolk, agar, salt |
| Contents | ・3 pieces ・6 pieces ・10 pieces ・15 pieces |
| Best before | 30 days |
| Storage | Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, heat and humidity |
| Price range | Single tarts are sometimes sold individually. Per box: 300 yen-2000 yen (incl. tax) |
Nanpo (Beni-imo Tart)
Nanpo’s Beni-imo Tart is so well known in Okinawa that most locals have tried it at least once.
These days it is sold at souvenir shops and convenience stores too, and it has become a familiar souvenir for locals and visitors alike.
Nanpo (Beni-imo Tart): our impressions
Nanpo’s Beni-imo Tart is known for its rich beni-imo flavor and moist texture.
The tart is piled with sweet potato paste, and the sweetness is beautifully judged.
Cut the tart in half and it looks like the image above.
It is piled with beni-imo paste, and just looking at it makes you hungry.
This is just my impression, but it felt slightly creamier than Okashigoten’s beni-imo tart.
| Product type | Baked confectionery |
| Manufacturer | Nanpo Co., Ltd. |
| Manufacturer address | 3-4-12 Minatomachi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Ingredients | Purple sweet potato paste (purple sweet potato from Okinawa Prefecture), wheat flour, margarine, bean paste (kidney beans, sugar, purple sweet potato from Okinawa Prefecture, salt), sugar, egg, reduced starch syrup, maltose, salt / chlorella extract. Contains wheat, egg, milk and soy. |
| Contents | ・3 pieces ・6 pieces ・10 pieces ・16 pieces |
| Best before | 40 days from the production date |
| Storage | Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, heat and humidity |
| Price range | Per box: 400 yen-2000 yen (incl. tax) |
Shiroma Seika Sangyo (Beni-imo Tart)
Shiroma Seika Sangyo’s beni-imo tart is known for its gentle sweetness and generous beni-imo filling.
You can buy it at Naha Airport and elsewhere, and it is also sold on Amazon, Rakuten and other online stores, so take a look.
Beni-imo Tart (Shiroma Seika Sangyo): our impressions
Open the bag and it looks like the image above.
Rich beni-imo flavor with a mellow texture, and very moist.
The moment I opened the bag, the sweet aroma of beni-imo made me hungry.
It also felt slightly smaller than the beni-imo tarts from Okashigoten and Nanpo.
Cut the beni-imo tart open and it looks like the image above.
It is piled with beni-imo paste, and just looking at it makes you hungry.
| Product type | Confectionery |
| Production site | Shiroma Seika Sangyo Co., Ltd. 4-13-2 Miyagi, Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture (Room 203) |
| Ingredients | Purple sweet potato paste (produced in Japan), wheat flour, sugar, margarine, fresh bean paste, egg, condensed milk, starch syrup, lemon, minced orange, salt / baking powder. Contains wheat, egg, milk, soy and orange. |
| Contents | 5 pieces |
| Best before | Printed on the package. |
| Storage | Store away from direct sunlight, heat and humidity |
| Price range | Per box: 540 yen-2000 yen (incl. tax) ※Prices vary by contents |
Ryubo Shoji (Okinawa Beni-imo Tart)
Here we introduce Okinawa Beni-imo Tart, a product planned by Ryubo Shoji.
Beni-imo tarts are sold by Okashigoten, Nanpo and many other companies, and all of them are popular.
This sweet is sold at souvenir shops such as those in Naha Airport.
Okinawa Beni-imo Tart (Ryubo Shoji): our impressions
Rich beni-imo flavor with a mellow texture, and very moist.
The tart is piled with sweet potato paste, and the sweetness is nicely judged.
The tart is about the same size as the ones from Okashigoten and Nanpo, and the flavor felt closer to Nanpo’s.
Cut the beni-imo tart open and it looks like the image above.
It is piled with beni-imo paste, and just looking at it makes you hungry.
| Product name | Okinawa Beni-imo Tart |
| Product planning | Ryubo Shoji Co., Ltd. 2-2-30 Makishi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Distributor | Nagatoya Co., Ltd. 96-1 Tohashina, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture |
| Ingredients | White bean paste (produced in Japan), sugar, purple sweet potato paste (purple sweet potato from Okinawa Prefecture), wheat flour, sweetener (sorbitol), flavoring, emulsifier, coloring (Red No. 2, annatto), antioxidant (vitamin E), stabilizer (pectin). Contains wheat, milk, egg and soy. |
| Contents | 6 pieces |
| Best before | Printed on the package. |
| Storage | Do not leave in direct sunlight or in hot, humid places. |
| Price range | Per box: 900 yen (incl. tax) ※Prices vary by contents |
Summary
Here we compared several beni-imo tarts.
As mentioned at the start,
All four beni-imo tarts were good, and I finished them in no time.
If I had to give my own ranking, it would look like this.
- Okashigoten (Beni-imo Tart)
- Nanpo (Beni-imo Tart)
- Shiroma Seika Sangyo (Beni-imo Tart)
- Ryubo Shoji (Okinawa Beni-imo Tart)
※The ranking above reflects the personal impressions of the Okinawa Bookmark editor after tasting all four brands of beni-imo tart
Having said all that about rankings, all four are good, and the order will differ from person to person.
At Naha Airport and souvenir shops you see plenty of visitors buying beni-imo tarts, so whichever one you pick, you will probably be happy with it.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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