"Anko is Cake?" Explaining Japanese Souvenirs in English

When giving Japanese souvenirs, a common question is, "What's in this?"
Many people find it particularly difficult to explain sweets made with adzuki beans or anko to people from overseas.

So, this time, I have put together a complete guide on how to explain "adzuki/anko" to both English and Chinese speakers, including how to describe the taste!
■ First, the basic English expressions

【Adzuki】
• red beans
• azuki beans (a bit more technical)

【Anko】
• red bean paste (the easiest to use)
• sweet red bean paste (when you want to be more precise)
■ Ready to use! English phrases in Q&A format

Q: What’s inside?

It’s red bean paste.
(It is anko.)

It’s made from red beans and sugar.
(It is made from red beans and sugar.)

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Q: What does it taste like?

It’s sweet and soft.
(It is sweet and soft.)

It has a mild, earthy sweetness.
(It has a gentle, slightly rustic sweetness.)

A bit like chestnut paste.
(It is a bit like chestnut paste.)

It’s not chocolate, but it’s sweet in a similar way.
(It is not chocolate, but it is sweet in a similar way.)

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Q: Is it savory?

No, it’s sweet. It’s used in many traditional Japanese sweets.
(No, it is sweet. It is used in many traditional Japanese sweets.)

In English, there are three categories for sweets

1. Cake (cake-style)
2. Candy (candy-style)
3. Cookie (cookie-style)

Explaining Japanese sweets according to these categories makes them easier for English speakers to understand.

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🍰 1. Cake (cake-style)

This includes sweets with a soft and moist texture.
• Anko (sweet red bean paste): A sweet paste made from red beans and sugar. It is widely used in traditional Japanese sweets.
• Dorayaki: A pancake-like sweet with anko sandwiched inside. It is easy to explain as a "Japanese red bean pancake."

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🍬 2. Candy (candy-style)

This includes hard or soft sweets with sugar as the main ingredient.
• Konpeitō: Colorful sugar candy. You can describe it as "Japanese sugar candy."

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🍪 3. Cookie (cookie-style)

These are baked goods characterized by a crispy texture.
• Senbei: A traditional Japanese cookie made from rice. You can explain it as a "Japanese rice cracker."

■ A tip for communicating with Chinese speakers

Actually, "adzuki = 小豆 (xiǎo dòu)" uses the same kanji as in Chinese, so showing them the characters is the fastest way!

We call it “azuki” in Japanese, and the characters are the same as in Chinese — 小豆.
But in Japan, we boil it with sugar and eat it sweet.

→ For Chinese speakers, adding the note that "the sweet way of eating it is the Japanese style" is appreciated.
■ Finally: A "god-tier" phrase to remember

It’s red bean paste. It’s sweet, smooth, and very Japanese.
(It is anko. It is sweet, smooth, and has a very Japanese flavor.)

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If you remember just this, you will be fine when giving souvenirs or having conversations.
You can use it immediately for travel English, customer service English, or cafe English!