This monaka, shaped like a rice bale (tawara), has an aromatic crust made from glutinous rice produced locally in Sanda, and is filled with a sweet red bean paste made from Dainagon azuki beans produced in Hokkaido. The homemade red bean paste is meticulously prepared by skilled artisans, who vary the degree of cooking from season to season to produce the best tasting red bean paste at that time of the year.