Anmitsu is a Japanese dessert that has been popular for many decades. It is made of small cubes of agar jelly, a white translucent jelly made from red algae or seaweed. The agar is dissolved with water to make the jelly. It is served in a bowl with sweet azuki bean paste or anko (the an part of anmitsu), boiled peas, often gyūhi and a variety of fruits. The anmitsu usually comes with a small pot of sweet black syrup, or mitsu (the mitsu part of anmitsu) which one pours onto the jelly before eating. Anmitsu is usually eaten with a spoon and fork.

A few variations on this dessert do exist. Mitsumame is anmitsu without bean paste, the mame meaning the peas that are served with the syrup and anko instead. Cream anmitsu is anmitsu with ice cream on top.

Mihashi is the famous anmitsu shop with a long history in Japan.
On the weekend, in front of the shop, a lot of people wait in line for eating anmitsu.
Photo above: Cream anmitsu with apricot.

Cream anmitsu with strawberry.

Anmitsu with green tea ice cream.

Shop location:
4-9-7, Ueno,
Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0005
(Other chain stores)

Shop’s website:
Mihashi’s homepage (Japanese)
Mihashi’s homepage (English translated by Google)