Yōkan Yoru no Ume is a traditional Japanese confection in the wagashi category, produced by Toraya. One of the company’s best-known products, its name, which translates as “Plum in the Night”, was recorded as early as 1694. Toraya’s archives first document it as a yōkan in 1819. The name refers to its appearance when sliced: the whole azuki beans resemble white plum blossoms glimpsed in the darkness.

It is made from sugar, azuki beans, and agar-agar, a plant-based gelling agent. Whole beans remain within the sweet, gelled mixture, giving it its distinctive appearance and added texture. Plum is the inspiration for the name, while the flavor comes from the azuki beans.

It has a sweet azuki flavor and a firm texture that allows it to be cut into slices of the desired thickness. It can be served in small portions alongside unsweetened green tea, whose bitterness complements the confection’s sweetness.