Kantaro Ametani is a mid-career employee in the Sales and Marketing Department.
At first glance, he seems to be interested only in his work, but...
A Single Bite Sends You Below Freezing!
There is something fishy about him.
"Amablo."
Kantaro.
"Sweets knight."
At that moment, I was considering a triathlon.
I would like to participate.
The forbidden sweets triathlon!
My opportunity suddenly came along this morning.
Hey, Kantaro!
This is about our mid-summer horror fair.
Yes, sir.
Today, I need you to go to Monnaka Bookstore in Monzen-Nakacho,
Niwa Books in Asakusa,
and Bunrindo in Akasaka. Can you visit them all in one trip?
I can. Please allow me to go.
Triathlon opportunity!
Conquest of three sweets shops in a single day!
This is a sweets triathlon!
However, if I'm eating at three shops in a row,
it's impossible to ignore the calories.
So, at a time like this...
Yes, that's the most suitable.
Kantaro.
Dobashi, what can I do for you?
I have a question for you. Do you know of "Amablo"?
I'm afraid that I don't.
What is it?
It's a blog that reviews famous sweets restaurants.
Really? So, what about it?
Well, I discovered quite an amazing coincidence.
Look at this.
In these posts, the store location and the time of the post...
match the places and times of your sales visits.
Really?
That's quite a strange coincidence, don't you think?
Oh, my. I'd better be going for my sales visits now.
Kantaro, where are your sales visits today?
Monzen-Nakacho,
followed by Asakusa,
followed by Akasaka.
This is bad. That woman is investigating me.
However, I can't give up now.
MAMEKAN
Eitai Bridge connects Fukagawa and Nihonbashi.
When you cross this bridge, you enter Monzen-Nakacho.
MONZEN-NAKACHO
This year,
our company is holding a mid-summer horror fair.
Please consider participating. I would appreciate your cooperation.
It's time to visit the first shop of the mamekan triathlon!
Irie, a famous sweets shop in Monzen-Nakacho.
The relaxing atmosphere of this shop
is like a little boat taking a short break in a small cove.
Strains of Koto music fill the shop,
which is built to resemble homes in Hida, Takayama.
It's emotionally stimulating.
Welcome. Here you are, sir.
-When you're ready to order... -Mamekan, please.
That's right. Today, I want to eat mamekan.
To be honest, Irie is famous for its mamekan.
-Dark syrup or white... -Dark syrup.
Okay. Certainly.
Of all the different kinds of sweets,
mamekan is the most rigid of them all.
The ingredients are quite simple.
Only kanten, beans, and syrup.
That means that the most important thing is the quality of the ingredients.
Now then, here at Irie,
what is the secret to the success of their mamekan?
Naturally, it is their kanten.
The previous master, who opened this shop in 1970,
was a craftsman who produced kanten and konnyaku.
That master achieved the perfect kanten.
The second master has faithfully followed that recipe
and gets up every morning at five o'clock
to make kanten with a seven-to-three blend
of tengusa seaweed from Kozushima and Ooshima in Izu.
Here is your mamekan, sir.
The head of red peas is so high that you can't even see the kanten below.
These red peas are from Furano, Hokkaido.
They are gently stewed over a low flame to keep them from breaking.
In summer, the kitchen reaches 40 degrees
while cold water is gradually and carefully added to the pot
keep it from boiling for eight hours.
Finally, the peas achieve a full and plump shape.
On top of the ultimate kanten and red peas, I'll pour dark syrup.
At last,
into the paradise of sweets!
Suddenly, I have realized I'm no longer Kantaro Ametani.
With this face of mine, am I now Mametaro Mametani?
Peabody.
Peabody?
That's right, you are Peabody of the red peas.
I know you.
On the outside, you appear rigid, but inside, you're soft.
That's because they put so much effort in raising you.
My name is Peabody of the red peas?
Then, who are you?
That was close!
I became so immersed in the exquisite combination
of firm, smooth kanten, faintly salty peas, and sweet dark syrup,
that I was nearly transported to heaven.
Wait! I don't have that kind of time today.
Time is mame.
ASAKUSA
Next, I headed to Asakusa.
After rushing through my meeting, I visited...
the second shop in the mamekan triathlon!
Umemura in Asakusa.
It is a sanctuary where mamekan fans from around the country congregate.
Welcome. Please have a seat.
"Have it once, and you will keep coming back for more.
It has a sweetness so good that it's addicting.
The dreamy flavor of Umemura mamekan."
This interior has so much character.
I want to taste the original style flavor mamekan now!
May I have your order?
Mamekan, of course.
Okay.
Umemura is said to be the inventor of mamekan.
It is said that mamekan is what the previous master came up with
to fill the order from a regular customer.
"Take out the gyuhi and put extra red peas for Mitsumame."
I completely understand that regular customer's desire.
You see, everyone wants to eat this shop's red peas!
Umemura's miraculous red peas ruin the image that red peas
in anmitsu should be hard. I hope they come soon!
Here is your mamekan, sir.
Umemura's red peas are black.
Why?
They are red peas, so why are they this black?
How did they stew the red peas to have them become like this?
At last...
Into...
So fresh and juicy! What an incredible combination!
The plump peas, slick kanten,
and refreshing dark syrup work in perfect harmony
to create a cool, exhilarating experience in my mouth!
And when I bite into the full, round peas,
their sweetness suddenly fills my mouth!
Not a single one of these peas was even the slightest bit dented,
but they are so incredibly soft when I bite into them.
How is it possible to make them so soft while maintaining their firmness?
Peas, peas, peas!
I will now take roll.
Peabody.
Here.
Now, the other Peabody.
Here.
The other Peabody?
Oh, there are two Peabody. You're a little dark, I see.
You're both soft and shiny.
That's because both of you were carefully raised.
You are right. You really do have a pretty face.
You do too.
That was close!
Again? It's completely understandable.
But you know, I cannot believe how firm these peas are.
It's such a waste to crush them with my teeth.
I want to roll them around on my tongue forever.
But I also want to bite into them as soon as possible!
I mean, when I do, the inside is so moist and sweet.
Although they are both mamekan, each has its own unique flavor.
It's amazing to think that their flavors are so different.
Post.
Oh, dear!
I was so focused on the difference in the mamekan,
that I unconsciously updated my blog.
Hello?
Dobashi here.
Amablo was updated just now, wasn't it?
It examines the difference between the mamekan
at Irie in Monzen-Nakacho and Umemura in Asakusa.
Kantaro,
as I suspected, you are sweets knight.
I'm not sweets knight.
I'm not eating sweets between doing sales visits.
Should I continue the mamekan triathlon? There is only one more shop.
Dobashi, where are you going?
Sorry. I'm going to Akasaka.
Akasaka? Why?
AKASAKA
His next sales visit will be in Akasaka.
The best place for mamekan in Akasaka is right here.
Akasaka Sagamiya, established in 1895...
I'll be waiting for him to come.
But even though I waited until closing time...
Excuse me.
Did a man dressed in a very neat suit visit your shop?
A lot of our customers wear suits.
I can't really tell you.
I see.
Hello? Sano? I'd like to check something.
Has Kantaro
returned to the office?
Kantaro...
went straight home.
Straight home?
Yes.
KANTARO AMETANI, RETURNED HOME DIRECTLY
Today, I just had to complete
the mamekan version of the sweets triathlon.
Now, for the final serving...
It's a takeout mamekan. It would be experiencing Akasaka Sagamiya in my home!
Sadly, Akasaka Sagamiya didn't have any available space in their shop anymore.
However, enjoying these sweets at leisure in one's home like this
is an entirely different kind of pleasure.
As to not mar the seaweed aroma, Sagamiya sells the kanten in a block.
Slicing it oneself is another pleasure.
The aroma of the seaside is so powerful!
An aroma that only comes from the kanten made of a select blend
of several kinds of seaweed from the Izu Islands and Nishi-Izu.
Naturally, the red peas from Furano,
and the dark syrup made from Okinawan brown sugar
are all made by hand.
This fine masterpiece is the exact opposite of mass produced goods.
Thank you for the food.
Peas!
The slightly salty red peas and soft kanten
are superbly harmonized by the thick, rich, and dark syrup.
Oh, dear!
I'm losing consciousness!
I'm Peabody.
-You're Peabody. -You're Peabody.
-You're Peabody too. -You're Peabody too.
Since there are numerous sweets shops in Tokyo,
there are probably numerous Peabody as well.
-You know, you both have -You know, you both have
-a truly smooth and pretty face. -a truly smooth and pretty face.
-Wait! Something is coming! -Wait! Something is coming!
-What is that? -What is that?
-Kanten! -Kanten!
Peabody.
Who are you?
My name is...
Shiro Tengusa.
Tengusa?
It is written like Amakusa
and pronounced like Tengusa.
-Do you believe in God? -What? What is she talking about?
Or do you believe in sweets?
Let's go. She seems like a pain in the neck.
While you're at work,
do you secretly enjoy sweets?
-No, I would never do such a thing! -I would never do such a thing!
This is what happens when you lie!
Is that all you have got? Have a taste of my Running Man!
-Too bad! Today, the victory is all mine! -All mine!
The mamekan triathlon.
Just how deep and profound is it?
Only sweet heaven knows.
Post.
Victory.
I lost.
A Whole Block of Kanten! Akasaka Sagamiya in My Home
However, this fight has only just begun.
A comment?
Dear sweets knight, allow me to introduce myself.
I am sweets princess.
I'd have to say that the mamekan that I recommend more than any other
is the mamekan at Cafe Mame-Hico in Sangenjaya.
Sangenjaya...
In the near future, maybe I'll skip out on work and visit it.
The sweets princess, is it?
I wonder who this person is.
I swear I'll catch you someday.
Kantaro Ametani, you won't get away with this.
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