Repainting Gray Memories with Six-Colored Stripes: Gotto from Miyagi

I want some cake.－Maybe because I had been choosing nothing but elegant jellies and traditional Japanese sweets lately, my craving for Western-style pastries had skyrocketed as a result.

It suddenly occurred to me that I still have not eaten “zunda” from the Tohoku region. But to be honest, I wasn’t really a fan of traditional zunda-mochi. I like the taste, but I just cannot get used to that unique, gritty texture. However, I was not particularly worried. In Japan — a country renowned for its creativity in adapting traditions and forging new paths — there was no way they hadn’t already found a way to beautifully transform traditional Japanese confectionery ingredients into Western-style pastries. With that conviction in mind, I filtered my search using the keywords “Western-style sweets” AND “zunda” AND “Miyagi Prefecture.” That’s how I discovered **PALPOW’s “Gotto.”**

What’s more, PALPOW is located in Kesen-numa City, Miyagi Prefecture. If I am going to order sweets from a faraway place online, I might as well choose a place where I can spend my money and support the local economy. I thought Gotto was the perfect fit for that mindset.

Kesen-numa, a city located on the coast, suddenly gained fame on March 11, 2011, due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. In Japan, even today, the phrase “3.11” is enough to refer to that natural disaster. Footage of the moment the tsunami engulfed the town and its people has been repeatedly broadcast nationwide on TV, and it continues to leave deep psychological scars even on those who were not directly affected by the disaster. Even now, in 2026–15 years after the earthquake — a warning caption stating “This program contains footage of a tsunami” sometimes appears at the beginning of TV broadcasts and YouTube video etc.

When I look back at the footage from that time, it seems so unrealistic that I am even tempted to think it was a fake video generated by AI. That is why the fact that this is the reality causes a dull ache deep in my heart. At the time, I was living in Northern Kanto. Neither I nor my friends or family were in any life-threatening danger. However, inside my house, dishes and books had come crashing down, leaving it in shambles, and my life changed quite a bit as a result. Even now, when I think back on it, that vague sense of unease from that time flashes through my mind.

On the other hand, however, alongside those unpleasant memories, there are certainly some heartwarming moments as well. The speed with which the U.S. military carried out “Operation Tomodachi,” and the news story about two Osaka City Bus employees who, from faraway Osaka City, decided on their own that “this wasn’t the time to wait for permission to depart,” loaded up the bus with supplies, and went the 800-kilometer journey. And even in my own community, there were countless small acts of mutual support — such as people naturally sharing heating supplies and food, or carpooling — in areas where aid was slow to reach. I remember how housewives and students would share information about the store’s inventory, and how we had laugh as we pooled our wisdom, saying things like, “When you’re short on water, cooking rice with oolong tea makes it taste great.” I hope I never forget the small but genuine warmth of others that I remember from those painful times.

From the Kesen-numa city — which has risen from the ashes with great strength, leaving those countless memories behind — came a small cake measuring about 8 cm (approx. 3.1 inches) tall by 4 cm (approx. 1.6 inches) wide, with beautiful, colorful layers. It is PALPOW’s signature confection, which the company has been making since its founding in 1981.

Outer Box: PALPOW Gotto

Unboxing: PALPOW Gotto

If I hand these out as souvenirs at work, they are sure to be a hit with my coworkers, and their appearance will make them think, “This person has great taste.” Inside the box of 10, there are 6 different flavors: black tea, orange, strawberry, matcha, chocolate, and the one I was really after, “zunda.” How luxurious!

Normally, I would share the sweets I order online with family, friends or coworkers, but the moment I saw this beautiful display, the idea of “sharing them with others” completely vanished from my mind. This time, I decided to keep them all to myself. I have been picking one of these every day during snack time, and I have already started picturing my future self enjoying them.

Sponge cake, shortbread, and pie are carefully layered, with a thin layer of chocolate sandwiched between them. The outside of the cake is sprinkled with carefully roasted sliced almonds. I could tell even before I took a bite. With a combination like this, there is no way it will not be delicious.

PALPOW Gotto black tea, orange, strawberry, matcha

PALPOW Gotto chocolate

PALPOW Gotto zunda

The moment I took my first bite, my expectations were not only met but exceeded.

Many people might have one of each variety to try as souvenirs. However, I want to say this loud and clear: the true value of this sweets can only be appreciated by “tasting it side by side.” What surprised me was that the flavors of the chocolate sandwiched between the layers were all different — or at least that’s how they tasted to me. Presumably, they’ve been fine-tuned down to the last detail to perfectly complement the flavor of each cake layer. Although they look beautifully uniform, they reveal a completely different character when tasted…As I devoured 4 pieces at once, I was deeply impressed by this craftsmanship.

If I were to rank them based on my personal perception of sweetness to refreshing tartness, the order would be: chocolate > matcha > zunda > strawberry > black tea > orange. Matcha, chocolate, and zunda all have a distinct sweetness. My selfish preference — “I like the flavor of zunda, but I don’t like the unique texture” — had been perfectly resolved. On the other hand, the black tea and orange feature a vivid citrus peel aroma, maintaining a superb balance that holds its own against the chocolate sandwiched inside. For people who aren’t big on sweets, these two varieties are sure to be a hit.

And above all, Gotto is fun because of its “texture” in every bite. While stacking layers of pie dough could easily make a pastry turn dry, it remains surprisingly moist and cohesive. This harmony must surely stem from every element, from the arrangement of the pie crust to the exquisite balance between the chocolate and the sponge cake.

To begin with, a snack or sweets they are “all dry” simply cannot survive in Japan. There is a huge difference between “crispy” and “dry”. And no matter how crispy they make the outside, people in Japan tend not to be satisfied unless the inside is moist and tender in some way. Just like the croissants that are all the rage in Japan — with their multiple layers of thin dough concealing a chewy texture — or a chiffon cake that melts in mouth. I think this design by Gotto is the perfect embodiment of the kind of texture that Japanese people love so much. By the way, when chilled thoroughly in the refrigerator rather than left at room temperature, the chocolate layers became firmer, giving the whole dessert a more solid texture — and it tasted absolutely delicious.

I wonder how long it has been since I last enjoyed such a luxury — having all these cakes to myself, tasting and comparing the different flavors one after another. When I was younger, I once or twice went to a dessert buffet. Back then, the whole point was to chat away with friends, getting all excited about which one tasted best. It remains a wonderfully fond memory in its own way, but, I do not remember the taste of any of the sweets at all (sorry, pastry chefs).

Now that I am getting older, spending time in a quiet room like this, savoring each and every detail crafted by skilled artisans, feels like a luxury — and offers a different kind of joy. As adults, we need to take the initiative to bring a little “escapism” into our daily lives. This beautiful and delicious layer cake, sent all the way from Kesen-numa, added a wonderful touch to my daily life. I’m completely satisfied — it was a huge success.

Posted: Colorful Cakes of Miyagi (宮城県) on Syo-syo (小暑) — The lesser heat, marking the entry into high summer as the rainy season departs.

Next: Sweets of Fukushima (福島県) around Tai-syo (大暑) — The great heat, signaling the time when the summer’s intensity reaches its absolute peak.