大判焼(おおばんや)き

A popular Japanese street food consisting of a round cake made from a wheat flour batter, cooked in a special iron mold and filled with 餡(あん) (sweet red bean paste), custard cream, or savory fillings. The name 大判(おおばん) refers to a large oval gold coin from the Edo period, which the cake's shape resembles.

Common fillings

• 小倉(おぐら)餡(あん): sweet red bean paste (classic)
• カスタードクリーム: custard cream
• 白(しろ)餡(あん): white bean paste
• チョコレート: chocolate

Regional names

This food is known by many names depending on the region. The variety of names is a well-known topic in Japanese culture:

• 今川焼(いまがわや)き: the most widely recognized name, used in the Kanto region
• 回転焼(かいてんや)き: used in Kansai and western Japan
• おやき: used in parts of Hokkaido and Tohoku
• 太鼓(たいこ)まんじゅう: used in some areas

Similar words

• たい焼(や)き: a fish-shaped filled cake — uses similar batter and filling but shaped like a sea bream
• どら焼(や)き: a pancake-like cake with bean paste — two flat rounds sandwiching the filling rather than a single molded cake