Beautiful, exquisite, and sweet through and through.
My beloved sweets!
Just thinking of you drives me wild.
Tokyo, the Sweets City, is packed with hundreds,
if not thousands, of famous sweet shops.
To sample all their sweets just on my days off would be impossible.
So, I came up with an idea.
ANMITSU
Starting today,
I'll be working here in Kiccho Publishing's Sales Department.
My name is Kantaro Ametani.
It is written like "sweet taro," but pronounced "Kantaro."
Up until the other day, I was a systems engineer.
I look forward to working with you.
Unlike his name, Kantaro looks rather dapper.
He said he used to be a programmer.
But why would he join a publishing company like ours?
He really must want to be a salesman.
It's much easier to sit at a computer in an air-conditioned room.
Hi! I'm Yamaji.
Feel free to ask me
about making the visits to the bookstores or anything, Kantaro.
That is very kind of you.
I shall do my best not to bother you.
You can be open with me, you know.
No, I don't believe that's appropriate.
This is work after all.
See you around.
How did it go?
I seriously have no idea what that guy is thinking.
Suddenly, I thought of something while gazing at this poster.
Danmitsu...
Anmitsu!
I must have it!
Shiratama anmitsu, topped with soft, smooth shiratama!
He's going to be in trouble.
Why do you say that?
Guys as uptight as that don't know how to blow off steam.
He'll work super hard, but he'll lose his mind in no time.
He is especially not suited for sales.
Hey! That stuff doesn't matter!
Boss!
Once I've set him straight, he'll perform like all the others.
Hey, Kantaro! Over here!
Yes, sir.
You'll be doing the sales visits of the bookstores today.
Doing the visits?
Visiting bookstores is a basic duty for publisher salesmen.
I want you to hit the bookstores in Ningyocho.
Ningyocho...
In Ningyocho...
There's one!
A well-established sweets shop.
If I do this right, between visits to bookstores
I can have anmitsu!
By the way, I'll be joining you today.
The boss is coming too?
Let's get going!
One moment, please, Mr. Miyake.
If I may, sir, you need not trouble yourself over me.
What did you say?
I, Kantaro Ametani, shall complete this work entirely on my own
without troubling you at all, sir.
Don't be stupid!
You don't even know what bookstores to visit!
I have committed to memory every bookstore in Tokyo's 23 wards
that I must visit as a salesman.
Is that so?
In Ningyocho, there are seven bookstores, including Uda Books,
Ningyocho Book Center, and Kanade Bookshop.
May I go now, sir?
Amazing!
He's wonderful!
Very interesting!
Well, then, how many hours will it take you
to visit all seven of those shops?
Let me hear your plan!
Let me see. Three hours should be enough.
Do it in two. Visit them all in two hours!
Certainly, sir. I shall be going now.
If you can't do it, you'll pay dearly.
I, Kantaro Ametani, promise to accomplish this assignment.
Did that guy just sneer at me?
Excellent! I now have two hours to myself!
Seven shops in two hours certainly won't be easy,
but it's not impossible either.
I have 120 minutes left.
Whether I can have anmitsu as well depends entirely upon me.
Then... I must work like a madman!
NINGYOCHO STATION
Amazake Yokocho, Meiji Theater,
and Suitengu Shrine where people pray for safe birth.
All these are located in Ningyocho, where the old-town atmosphere is strong.
During the Edo Era, two of the three licensed theaters in Edo,
Nakamuraza and Ichimuraza held Kabuki performances here.
I am Kantaro Ametani
from the Kiccho Publishing Sales and Marketing Department.
I want to introduce you to our latest publication.
The Russian literary master Tolstoy once stated,
"The happiness of men consists in life. And life is in labor."
I couldn't agree with Tolstoy more.
The happiness achieved from swiftly and carefully accomplishing one's work
is sweet!
I have more than 30 minutes left.
Oh, anmitsu!
When I worked as a programmer, I could only sample sweets on weekends.
However...
as a salesman, I can visit all the famous shops in Tokyo on weekdays.
I have finally arrived!
Traditional Sweets Shop Hatsune.
Rather than just "sweets," they say "traditional sweets."
You can sense the care for their craft.
They were established in 1837, the eighth year of the Tenpo era.
They have specialized in sweets for 180 years.
They're one of the finest of the well-established shops.
Welcome. Table for one?
Yes, just one.
Have a seat at an empty table. I'll bring you some tea.
Thank you.
What a stylish and modern interior!
The name "Hatsune" comes from
the Kabuki play Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura.
There is an ancient drum called "Hatsune Hand Drum"
that Minamoto Yoshitsune gave to Lady Shizuka.
Now I see why there are designs that resemble hand drums
on the dividers, menu, and even the wrapping paper
throughout the shop.
Just sitting here,
I feel as if I've time traveled into the good old Showa Era.
May I have your order?
Anmitsu, please.
Okay, anmitsu.
No, wait. Not anmitsu. Shiratama anmitsu.
Okay, shiratama anmitsu.
No, wait. Not shiratama anmitsu.
Shiratama ogura anmitsu.
Do you prefer tsubuan sweet bean paste?
Yes, tsubuan.
Certainly.
Oh, which kind of syrup would you like?
What?
White syrup or dark syrup. Which would you like?
Well...
This is always a frustrating decision for me!
White syrup or dark syrup. I can choose only one of them!
Lovely and charming white, or rich and powerful black.
Which do I feel like right now?
When I can't make up my mind...
White, please.
White syrup. Certainly.
It's hot!
How come it's so hot?
What's that?
I see! She made it from that iron teakettle.
No wonder it's steaming hot.
However, nothing is as steaming hot as my passion for sweets.
It's good.
Oshiruko.
Apricot parfait.
Kuzumochi.
There are many kinds of sweets,
but the ideal dish to enjoy at a well-established shop is anmitsu.
In addition, today I have splurged an extra 200 yen for shiratama,
and another 30 yen to upgrade
the sweet bean paste from koshian to tsubuan.
There is one reason why I decided to go with the tsubuan.
Because I want to deeply savor the flavor
of plump, premium adzuki beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido.
The bean texture is key to the ogura bean paste.
The adzuki beans that are used are the finest kind, called yorishozu.
The adzuki beans are separated, and only the largest ones are selected.
They are the elites among elites.
To enjoy the finest adzuki beans
that have passed the most rigorous inspection,
30 yen is a small price to pay.
The seasoned cooks slowly and patiently boil the adzuki beans,
until they give off a sensual, moist glow.
Then...
Please! Faster!
Here you are. Shiratama ogura anmitsu.
The perfectly arranged appearance is stupendous!
In this modern society
where everything, including towns, people, and fads change with the times,
is there anything else which has remained unchanged like this?
Thank you!
Your mother and I used to come here.
I can completely understand why five generations of a family
would continue to visit this shop.
It has most certainly not been left behind by the times.
It has stopped the passage of time through tenacity!
This traditional sweet which was perfected decades ago
is being lovingly and tenderly passed down to future generations.
Hatsune's shiratama ogura anmitsu.
To put into better words, it is truly a sweets loving community.
I cannot keep from falling in love
with the sweet shine of these planets which make my heart flutter with joy!
The time has come.
Let my trip to these planets I love... begin.
Here is your white syrup.
At last! Into the paradise of sweets!
These cool-looking crystals that cover the bottom of this bowl
are kanten, of course.
It's made from agar weed specially selected.
Since it was grown around Izu Oshima Island,
this kanten sparkles brightly as if the Pacific Ocean were locked inside.
And these beans swimming freely in the crystal sea are
red peas!
Without you guys, mitsumame and anmitsu would be
nothing more than kanten and fruit.
The colorful fruit is also quite pretty.
The cherry is a refreshing presence that completes the dish.
The fresh and tart mandarin oranges.
Then the yellow peaches, come in please!
Wait! Come to think of it, who in the world are you?
Gyuhi! I know who you are!
You're soft glutinous rice mixed with starch syrup.
That's what makes you so soft.
Gyuhi! It has unexpected meanings when written in Chinese characters though.
Gyuhi!
Then there are the shiratama, made from the finest shiratama flour,
lovingly kneaded by the seasoned cooks,
boiled with the utmost care,
and lifted out with loving affection.
These soft, smooth shiratama,
with their glow and firmness of unquestionable quality,
are covered in the bean-textured tsubuan
made from carefully boiled yorishozu from Tokachi, Hokkaido.
When I lift them to my mouth,
what sort of world will I find there?
Only...
Sweet heaven knows!
What's that?
Welcome, Kantaro Ametani.
Sales and Marketing Department of Anmitsu Publishing welcomes you!
Who are you?
I'm your manager, Cherry Miyake!
Your face is deep red. You're unexpectedly shy, I see.
The people here all have different personalities.
The well-rounded one. The soft-skinned one.
And the cool beauty!
Who's the well-rounded one?
I'm Peas Yamaji.
Who's the soft-skinned one?
I'm Gyuhi Sano.
Then, who is the coolest beauty in the Sales Department?
I'm Kanten Dobashi.
Usually I don't say this kind of thing, but let's work hard together.
Each of us has a different personality.
But we all believe that that's the best part about us!
We're all different...
-But we're all great! -Great!
We're all different...
-But we're all great! -Great!
Our personalities are totally different,
but let's combine our efforts to work toward a single goal!
-Let's combine our efforts! Yes! -Let's combine our efforts! Yes!
It's sweet bean paste!
What?
-I'm shiratama. -I'm shiratama.
-We're smooth and soft shiratama! -And soft shiratama!
Smooth and soft?
-We're not sweet though. -What?
We ourselves aren't sweet.
But when we're covered with sweet bean paste or syrup,
we become wonderfully sweet.
-We become wonderfully sweet! -Wonderfully sweet!
Hey! Don't get spoiled! Get even sweeter!
-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir!
-Get even sweeter! -Yes, sir!
Get even sweeter!
-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir!
What?
Each individual personality, with the sweet bean paste,
and the premium shiratama, combine in perfect harmony!
How sweet!
So sweet!
I understand you clearly, Tolstoy.
The happiness you speak of
is that of sweets!
NO, IT'S NOT...
Thank you very much for this superb shiratama ogura anmitsu.
Excuse me.
Yes?
I would like some more tea, and another shiratama ogura anmitsu.
-Another one. -Yes.
Since I still have a little more time,
I've decided to have one with dark syrup.
Here you are. With dark syrup.
Most customers who go to Hatsune choose dark syrup.
It's made from the finest Okinawan brown sugar,
the sweetness of this dark syrup...
Only sweet heaven knows!
Today's sales visits are complete.
SALES AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT
It's been almost two hours.
How will that Kantaro fellow act when he gets back?
I'll crush his cocky pride when he returns.
What?
Good afternoon, sir.
Don't talk like that! What about your sales visits?
I have already completed them.
You can't be serious!
-Sir! This is incredible! -What is it?
When I checked our online system,
there were tons of orders for our book from all the bookstores in Ningyocho.
Who the heck sold this many of Danmitsu's photo book?
It must be... Kantaro, right?
Are you kidding me?
I like it, Kantaro Ametani!
You enjoy selling to your very core! You really are a true salesman!
How can you be so perfect on your first day, Kantaro Ametani?
No doubt about it. You must be guarding some secret.
The shiratama ogura anmitsu at Hatsune in Ningyocho...
is truly a masterpiece!
What kind of sweets shall I have next?
Only sweet heaven knows.
BASED ON THE COMIC BOOK KANTARO: THE SWEET TOOTH SALARYMAN
THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION BASED ON ACTUAL PLACES AND SWEETS.
Subtitle translation by Brian Athey