Tokyo Banana facts for kids
Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈, also written 東京バナナ or 東京ばなな with the same pronunciation) is a Japanese banana-shaped sponge cake with cream filling. It is the official souvenir sweet of Tokyo and is manufactured and sold by Grapestone Co..
Tokyo Bananas come in many different flavors and are usually packaged individually in plastic. The original flavor is known as Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa (見ぃつけたっ), and is filled with a banana custard cream. The cream filling uses strained banana puree. After baking, the sponge cake is steamed to bring out a soft texture.
Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa is manufactured at MASDAC Corporation's factory in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Tokyo Bananas are sold across stores in Tokyo and in several major Japanese airports.
History
Tokyo Banana was created and made by the organization known as Grapestone Co. The original banana custard flavor is Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa was introduced for the first time in 1991 as the first product, has quickly gained widespread popularity. It has been contrasted with other souvenir desserts to become the symbol of Tokyo snack. Because the brand originally intended to sell only in Tokyo city. A significant portion of their popularity can be credited to the brand introducing the word “Tokyo'' into the product name because the first intention was to sell only in Tokyo city, This was done in an effort to encourage residents of Tokyo and other provinces to come and purchase the product as a souvenir.
In the past, Bananas were once considered rare and expensive tropical fruits in Japan since they are difficult to produce and hard to find according to Japan's cold temperature. As a result, when individuals want to acquire it, they must pay a greater price. Producing a desert souvenir primarily out of bananas will attract customers. Grapestone decided to choose bananas as a dessert in order to provide people of all ages the taste of the cake, which is soft with fluffy texture and easy to consume.
Tokyo Banana Series
- Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa
- A banana shaped sweet full of banana custard wrapped in a fluffy sponge. Best consumed within 7 days of purchase, though refrigeration can stretch this a bit.
- Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa caramel flavour
- Caramel banana custard cream wrapped up in a caramel coloured and flavoured sponge. Went on sale on August 10th 2011 celebrating 20 years of sales of Tokyo Banana.
- Tokyo Choco Banana
- Banana cream inside chocolate. It becomes banana mint flavour "Summer Choco" in the summer season (mid May - mid September).
- Tokyo Banana Pie
- Folded up banana flavoured biscuit dough and pastry.
- Fresh Cream Puff
- Cream and banana custard cream puff.
- Tokyo Banana Raisin Sandwich
- Wagashi Tokyo Banana
- Banana anko in a moist outer layer.
- Moist Baumkuchen
- 3 layers of cake mixture layered atop one another and moistly baked baumkuchen
- Tokyo Banana Fresh Moist Baumkuchen
- Tokyo Banana Baumkuchen Brule
- Tokyo Banana Roll Cake <Choco Banana>
- Tokyo Banana Miitsuketa Gaufrette
- Tokyo Banana Ai to Sachi (new product August 2008)
- Ice Monaka
Products sold in the past
Kuro Bei
- Tokyo Banana Kuro Bei (jp:黒ベエ)
- Ample banana custard wrapped in a bitter-sweet cocoa sponge cake.
- Chocolate Pie
- Chocolate rolled up in cocoa flavoured pastry folded into 328 layers.
- Moist Baumkuchen
- Consisting of 2 layers of chocolate banana mixture and muscovado mixture.
- Dorayaki
- Japanese dessert consisting of two slices of sponge cake with red bean jam in between
- Black Sesame Seed Pie Kuro Bei
- Kuro Bei Raisin
