Shiomi manju is made from salty sweet bean paste wrapped in rakugan-style (made from a combination of powdered starch and sugar, dried, and pressed into a decorative shape) dough kneaded from a combination of sugar and kanbaiko (a type of glutinous rice flour). Its clean and delicate sweetness sets it apart from other manju (a Japanese sweet made with sweet bean paste and various kinds of flour), and since the past, it has been a popular type of wagashi (Japanese sweet) unique to Ako, the town of salt. Shiomi manju is said to have originated around the Kaei era (1848-1855), and since then, it was happily received when given as a gift given to feudal lords or served as sweets in tea ceremony. Currently, among the well-known confectionaries that make shiomi manju, each uses its own method that has been handed down over generations, and shiomi manju has gained popularity as a souvenir representing Ako.