Taiyaki Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
*Taiyaki*
Two taiyaki.
Course	Snack
Place of origin	Japan
Region or state	Japanese-speaking areas
Main ingredients	Batter, sweetened adzuki beans

Taiyaki (鯛焼き, lit. baked sea bream) is a fun Japanese snack. It is a cake shaped like a fish! You can often buy it from street vendors in Japan. The name Taiyaki comes from tai, which is the Japanese word for a type of fish called a red sea bream.

The most popular filling for Taiyaki is a sweet red bean paste. This paste is made from special beans called adzuki beans. But you can find Taiyaki with many other yummy fillings too! Some popular choices are custard, chocolate, cheese, or sweet potato. Some shops even get creative with fillings like okonomiyaki (a savory pancake) or sausage. There are also smaller, fish-shaped versions called kingyoyaki (金魚焼き, lit. baked goldfish). These are often sold in bags of five or more.

Taiyaki cakes are a lot like another Japanese snack called imagawayaki. Imagawayaki are thick, round cakes. They also have sweet red bean paste or custard inside.

How is Taiyaki Made?
The Story of Taiyaki
Gallery
See also

How is Taiyaki Made?

Taiyaki being made on a griddle with fish-shaped molds

Taiyaki is made using a simple pancake or waffle batter. First, the batter is poured into a special fish-shaped mold. There is a mold for each side of the fish.

Next, the yummy filling is placed on one side of the batter. Then, the mold is closed up. The Taiyaki is cooked on both sides. It stays on the griddle until it turns a nice golden brown color.

The Story of Taiyaki

Storefront of Naniwaya Sōhonten (浪花家総本店), where taiyaki was invented

Taiyaki was first sold in Japan way back in 1909. It was created by changing a popular snack called imagawayaki. Imagawayaki was a simple cake with bean paste wrapped in a flour skin.

Seijirō Kobe was the person who started the store called Naniwaya Sōhonten (浪花家総本店). He was having trouble selling his imagawayaki. So, he had a clever idea! He decided to bake the cakes in the shape of a fish, like the tai (red sea bream).

In Japan, tai fish are a sign of good luck and fortune. They were also very expensive fish. Only rich people could usually afford them, or they were eaten on special days. Masamori Kobe, who is the fourth owner of the store, said that Seijirō wanted to let everyone taste this special fish, but at a low price.

Since it was first made, Taiyaki has changed a lot. People now use different ingredients for the filling and the batter. You can also find Taiyaki in many different shapes and sizes!

Taiyaki also traveled to Korea when Japan ruled there. In Korea, it is known as bungeo-ppang. After World War II, Taiyaki became popular in other parts of Asia and even in the United States.