Shiroi Koibito facts for kids
Shiroi Koibito (白い恋人, meaning "white lover") is a popular cookie from Japan. It's made by a company called Ishiya Co., Ltd. in Sapporo, Hokkaido. This cookie is like a delicious sandwich: it has chocolate in the middle, placed between two thin, crispy cookies called langue de chat (which means "cat's tongue" in French because of their shape).
There are two main kinds of Shiroi Koibito:
- Shiroi Koibito White: This one has yummy white chocolate in the middle.
- Shiroi Koibito Black: This one uses milk chocolate for its filling.
The cookie's packaging is mostly white and light blue. It features a picture of Mount Rishiri on Rishiri Island, which is a beautiful snowy mountain in Hokkaido.
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What is Shiroi Koibito?
Shiroi Koibito cookies first went on sale in December 1976. The name "Shiroi Koibito" (White Lover) came about when the company's founder was walking home after skiing in December. He saw the snow falling and said, "It has started snowing white lovers." This story is even printed on the back of the cookie box!
The cookie's white color reminds people of Hokkaido's snowy landscapes. Also, for a long time, these cookies were only sold in Hokkaido. This made them very special and popular as a souvenir for people visiting or on business trips.
Today, people buy around 200 million Shiroi Koibito cookies every year! It's one of the most popular souvenirs in Japan. One survey even named it the top souvenir of the 20th century. In 1986, it won a special award called Monde Selection for its quality.
You can even order special Shiroi Koibito cookies with your own photo printed on the package! There's also a "Shiroi Koibito Chocolate Drink" that came out in 1997.
Ishiya Co., the company that makes Shiroi Koibito, is a big supporter of the local football team, Consadole Sapporo. Because of this, the Shiroi Koibito logo is shown on the team's uniforms. Sometimes it's on the front, and sometimes it's on the back!
Shiroi Koibito Park
In Sapporo City, there's a fun place called "Shiroi Koibito Park." It's a great spot for visitors to learn about the cookies. Here, you can:
- See how Shiroi Koibito cookies are made on the production line.
- Learn about the history of chocolate.
- Enjoy different art displays.
- Visit the Ishiya Chocolate Factory.
- See Consadole Sapporo's training grounds, called Miyanosawa Shiroi Koibito Football Stadium, and their clubhouse.
- Take classes to learn how to make sweets similar to Shiroi Koibito.
Around Sapporo, you might also spot huge billboards with the Consadole Sapporo uniform design, featuring the Shiroi Koibito logo.
When sales stopped and started again
In August 2007, the company had to stop selling Shiroi Koibito for a short time. This happened because some cookies were sold with wrong "best before" dates. This was against food safety rules.
The company's CEO, Shunpei Shimada, announced on October 22, 2007, that they would start making the cookies again on November 15. Sales began again on November 22. After this, the "best before" date was printed on each individual cookie packet to make sure everyone knew it was fresh.
When the cookies went back on sale, people were so excited that every store sold out on the very first day! There were even shortages of the cookies because so many people wanted them.
Other yummy products
Ishiya Co. also makes other delicious treats inspired by Shiroi Koibito:
- Shiroi Roll Cake: This cake first went on sale in autumn 2003. At first, you could only buy it at special food fairs and at Shiroi Koibito Park. But since March 3, 2011, you can buy it online all over Japan!
- Shiroi Baum Tsumugi: This is a type of cake called baumkuchen, which has Shiroi Koibito's white chocolate mixed into the dough. It started selling on December 17, 2009.
Protecting the name
On November 28, 2011, Ishiya Co. had to go to court. Another company, Yoshimoto Kogyo, was selling a product called "Omoshiroi Koibito" (meaning "Interesting Lover"). This product had very similar packaging and a similar name to Shiroi Koibito. Ishiya Co. felt this was unfair and confusing for customers.
They reached an agreement on February 13, 2013. Yoshimoto Kogyo agreed to change their package design, and they also agreed to only sell "Omoshiroi Koibito" in the Kansai region of Japan.
There are other products that look a bit like Shiroi Koibito, such as "Doara no Koibito" and "Nijigen no Koibito," which are sold in different parts of Japan.
