Not to be confused with Takoyaki.

 is a Japanese fish-shaped cake. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened azuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, chocolate, or cheese. Some shops even sell taiyaki with okonomiyaki, gyoza filling, or a sausage inside.

Taiyaki is made using regular pancake or waffle batter. The batter is poured into a fish-shaped mold for each side. The filling is then put on one side and the mold is closed. It is then cooked on both sides until golden brown.

Taiyaki was first baked by a sweet shop Naniwaya in Azabu, Tokyo in 1909, and now can be found all over Japan, especially at food courts of supermarkets and and other Asian countries (for example Korea, but they call it bungeoppang).

They are similar to , which are thick round cakes also filled with sweet azuki bean paste or custard.

In popular culture

Taiyaki was the theme of a 1975–76 Japanese hit single, "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" ("Swim! Taiyaki") sung by Masato Shimon. The single sold more than 4.5 million copies, and remains the largest-selling Japanese single to this day ( ). Originally written for a children's TV program, the song was about a taiyaki escaping from the vendor stand into the sea, enjoying his brief freedom there until he is finally caught by a fisherman and consumed. It was a thinly veiled satire of the overworked Japanese businessman, with whom the record struck a chord, resulting in the unexpected mega-hit.

In the video game Portal, one of the modules making up the game's villain, GLaDOS, talks only about absurd cake recipes, including fish-shaped cake.

Taiyaki was briefly introduced in the Japanese high school drama Nobuta wo Produce starring Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Yamashita Tomohisa (Kurosagi), and Horikita Maki, where Yamashita's character explained how eating the head of the fish first made him feel happy.

It is eaten by characters Chiyo and Osaka at a cultural festival in episode 16 of the anime series Azumanga Daioh.

Also found in the anime Ai Yori Aoshi, an entire episode. (Aoi trying to find Kaoru to try Taiyaki, for the first time, made by a legendary taiyaki maker)

Taiyaki is the favorite food of Ayu Tsukimiya of Kanon.

Golden Darkness of To-LOVE-Ru is also very fond of them.

In Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories the player can purchase taiyaki as a healing item.

See also

• Cuisine of Japan
• Wagashi
• Bungeoppang

References

• Japan Times