Karukan appeared during the rule of the
Satsuma Domain from 1686 to 1715. The factor in the birth of
karukan in Satsuma Domain is that yams, which are the main ingredient of
karukan, grow wild and it is easy to get sugar which is made in
Ryukyu and the Amami Islands. Another theory says that
karukan was invented in 1854 by a confectioner who was invited by
Shimazu Nariakira, the leader of Satsuma Domain. And
fukuregashi, a kind of steamed cake with brown sugar, flour and baking soda, has also been produced in the area for a time. It is said that
karukan was based on
fukuregashi.
Karukan is made at multiple confectioneries in Kagoshima. It is sold widely in
Miyazaki Prefecture and it is also made there. Confectioneries in
Beppu, Oita, have been producing and selling
karukan since 1952. It is a famous souvenir in Beppu. Also, there are some factories which produce and sell
karukan in
Fukuoka Prefecture. ==See also==