Kibi dango are simple Japanese sweets that are deeply rooted in Japanese culture. They consist of sticky dough that combines rice and millet flour, and the combination is then shaped into large round balls. Their history is intertwined with Okayama, where they were first offered as gifts at the Kibitsuhiko jinja shrine.

A bit later, in the mid-19th century, local merchants started selling kibi dango as simple everyday sweets. In the late 19th century, when Okayama became an appealing tourist destination, the sweets were marketed as an authentic local souvenir. From their original form that included a square-shaped wrapper and a red bean filling, kibi dango were transformed into round balls that contained no fillings.

In addition to that, the local merchant who invented the new kibi dango also connected them to the famous folk tale of Momotarō. According to the story, the hero Momotarō gave kibi dango to his companions, and the sweets gave them enough strength to defeat the demons.

Since then, the confectionery has become the signature sweet of Okayama. Nowadays, they come in numerous flavors such as peach or wine, and are available at many specialized shops.