Ameya Seika is a long-established confectionery that brought its candy-making techniques to Otaru from Toyama in the early Meiji period and continues to make candy using ingredients from Hokkaido. It is said that medicine sellers from Ecchu and Toyama, who have inherited a tradition spanning over 300 years, traveled to Otaru on the Kitamaebune ships during the Meiji and Taisho periods, and peddled their goods throughout Hokkaido. In 1891, Ameya Rokubei, the third generation owner of Ameya Seika, also traveled to Otaru on the Kitamaebune ships. In 1918, the fifth generation owner, Ameya Rokubei, founded Ameya Rokubei Honpo in Yamada-cho, Otaru, where traditional techniques have been passed down to the present day.
Enjoy the traditional techniques of the past as you think about the history of the Kitamae-bune, the treasure ships that carried many goods and cultures.
