It's been a year since December since "Okashi no Ito Fuku Auga Store" (Shinmachi, Aomori City, TEL 017-773-4933 ) released "Antama (Cat)".

Antama is a lottery candy popular in Aomori. Choose a bean paste ball with a diameter of about 2 centimeters called “kujidama”, and if it contains colored bean paste, you win. If you win, you can get additional red bean paste as a prize, and the red bean paste as a prize changes depending on the color. Remove if there is no color. It is said that it used to be sold at many candy stores in Aomori Prefecture.

This shop is directly managed by Yamai Itofuku, a Japanese confectionery maker founded in Aomori City in 1945. For many years, the first-prize "Antama-ate" served at the store was only "Hanagata", but the "Cat" version was born with the idea of Hiroko Sato, the sales planning manager.

The trigger was a conversation with Mr. Sato's mother, Yasuko Ito, the manager of the Auga store. "Although the number of customers in their 30s and 40s who are raising children has increased, the number of first-class items remains the same. There is only one type. I was thinking that it would be good if there was a shape that would be easy for the younger generation to pick up and children would be happy with." and Mr. Sato. It was decided to develop the shape of the red bean paste sweets that would serve as prizes, and the company suggested strawberries, cranes, and other designs.

Self-taught, he repeatedly made prototypes of the stamping molds, and started test sales at stores in December 2021. The number prepared was sold out, and it was well received by customers, so it became a standard. It is said that there are cases in which customers who are looking for "an bean paste" buy the "cat" version at the store because they like it.

Mr. Sato said, "I hope that families will enjoy playing this game so that they will remember it when they grow up. We also have an online shop, so I hope it spreads nationwide little by little." "I want to continue making new products, not limited to Andama," he said.

The price is small = 1,250 yen, large = 1,450 yen. 16 small lottery balls, 6 winning, 20 large lottery balls, 7 winning. There are 1st to 3rd prizes. Available at Auga stores and online shops.