History of Dorayaki Pancake:
The dorayaki is a popular Japanese confection that consists of two round, pancake-like patties filled with sweet red bean paste (anko). While it’s a beloved treat in Japan, its exact origins are subject to a bit of lore.
One popular tale attributes the creation of dorayaki to the late 19th century. According to this story, a confectioner named Daimyō noticed a “dora” (a type of bell) shaped pancake in Tokyo, which inspired him to create what we now know as dorayaki. The name “dorayaki” itself comes from this inspiration: “dora” meaning “bell,” and “yaki” meaning “grilled” or “cooked.”
Another account suggests that dorayaki first appeared around the 1930s in Tokyo. Regardless of its precise origins, dorayaki has become an integral part of traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi), evolving over time to include variations beyond the classic red bean filling, such as matcha and chestnut.