Tsurunoko is a well-known confection from Fukuoka, made by Ishimura Manseido, a confectionery company founded in 1905. When its rounded, egg-shaped box is opened, small sweets wrapped in alternating red and white packages appear inside, creating a memorable presentation.
Each sweet has a soft, plump marshmallow-like exterior and a flavorful yellow bean paste filling made from tebo beans, a type of white bean, and egg yolk. The sweetness is restrained and elegant, allowing the rich filling and light outer layer to complement one another. The maker emphasizes the use of ingredients that are as close to their natural form as possible.
The confection was developed because Ishimura Manseido had specialized in Keiran Somen, a traditional sweet made using egg yolks. Since the preparation uses only the yolks, egg whites were left over. The company found a use for these surplus whites by turning them into marshmallow and placing yellow bean paste inside, creating Tsurunoko.
The company is also associated with the origins of Japan’s White Day tradition. In 1977, its president is said to have proposed March 14 as “Marshmallow Day,” an occasion for returning gifts received on Valentine’s Day. This idea is often cited as one of the beginnings of White Day in Japan.
Ishimura Manseido continues to value the founding generation’s teaching of “a rounded, gentle heart”—an attitude expressed in both the confection’s soft shape and its distinctive round box. Tsurunoko is a classic Hakata gift that combines a light texture, delicate sweetness, and a story rooted in the company’s history.