Yogul: A Nostalgic Yogurt-like Dagashi Sweet

“Dagashi (駄菓子)” is the generic name for cheap, relatively small, unique Japanese snacks and candies whose price ranges from 10 yen (about 0.1 USD) to about 100 yen (1 USD). 

Dagashi has a long history and its origin is said to date back to the Edo period, over 300 years ago. At the time, such snacks and sweets were made mainly with millet or starch syrup and enjoyed among common people.

When it comes to Dagashi treats that have been around since the Edo period, Fugashi is famous, and in the 1900s, various commercial Dagashi snacks were created.

Now, Dagashi comes in so many varieties, but if I give you names of Dagashi classics that have long been loved, in addition to Umaibo and Morinaga Ramune, what I bought this time, “Yogul (ヨーグル)” is also among them.

Yogul (ヨーグル)

Actually, Yogul is a yogurt-like Dagashi sweet that comes in a small polyethylene container. It was first created by Sanyo Foods, an Osaka-based confectionery maker, but other than the company, today Daiken Confectionery and Ito Confectionery are also producing it.

Sanyo Foods’ signature Yogul is named “Morocco Fruit Yogul”, while what I have now is the “Orange Yogul Queen” from Daiken. Both are so cheap, priced at 20 yen (about 0.2 USD), and mainly marketed towards children.

Features

Unlike normal yogurt, the Dagashi Yogul doesn’t use either fermented milk or dairy product. Its main ingredients are actually shortening and sugar (granulated sugar), and the Yogurt-like mousse made with them are flavored with a scent of yogurt and acidifier.

The mousse is light and airy and indeed like real fresh cream, accompanied by a hint of orange flavor. 

Ingredients 

Specifically, the Orange Yogul I have now consists of shortening, sugar, corn starch, dextrose, acidifier, flavoring, sweetener (stevia), soy emulsifier, and antioxidant (V.E).