“Wagashi” is a traditional Japanese confection that is traditionally served as an accompaniment to tea. Wagashi has many forms and there are many recipes from which it can be made, but wagashi generally consists of a variety of ingredients such as rice flour, glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, honey, white sugar, soy sauce, baking soda, sweet red bean paste, or honey.

The A-Z of Wagashi

The makers of wagashi are masters at using natural ingredients in their art.

Wagashi, has often been known to be plain, sweet, or salty. The original wagashi were rice sweets that were made by hand.

Wagashi made from flour and sugar were invented during the Edo period (1603-1868) and became popular among women after it was introduced as a lunchbox item.

This led to the mass production of wagashi in factories which started to become widespread around Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Because there were now more factory workers than craftsmen who could make wagashi by hand, machines began to replace the laborious work done by hand and thus machine-made wagashi appeared on the market in 1926.

Today, hand-made wagashi can be found in Japanese specialty stores and on the Internet. It is believed that WAGASHI recipes originally came from China, but took a life of their own over the centuries, playing a key role in the Japanese tea ceremony. The shape of the wagashi has been developed through a tradition passed down over generations in Japan.

Here are some examples of my favorite types of Wagashi

Senbei WAGASHI that are savory crackers made of rice and baked or roasted over a flame

Shiroi mochi WAGASHI, which are usually doughy rice cakes filled with a sweet paste

Dango WAGASHI is usually a rice dumpling made of glutinous rice, and is usually covered with something sweet, such as a soy based sweet sauce or kinako powder

Yokan WAGASHI is a type of jelly, usually molded into a bar. It is usually made with azuki beans, sugar, agar-agar. Some a beautifully made and are made to reflect the four seasons.

Daifuku WAGASHI literally translates to “great luck” and I love it because I’m lucky every time I have it. It’s made of a sticky rice, or mochi, and is typically filled with a sweet red bean paste

Dorayaki WAGASHI, the favorite of Doraemon. Made from two pancake-like steamed buns typically filled with a sweet red bean paste.

Wagashi isn’t just confectionary, it’s a Symbol of Peace and Harmony

Throughout the centuries, Wagashi has typically been eaten during tea ceremonies. They are typically decorated with colorful sugar patterns, and often have a chewy texture. These sweets are symbolic of the peace and harmony in the tea ceremony, when many people gather together in a harmonious atmosphere.

The post The Art of Japanese Confectioneries appeared first on Wagashi Bunka | Artisanal Japanese Confectioneries.

As trade with China became more prevalent, especially during the Tang Dynasty, Japanese confectionaries evolved to become an integral part of the Japanese tea ceremony.

And as customs around the tea ceremony evolved, so did the role of confectionaries.

While the world may know Japan to be a culture of ‘omotenashi’, or a culture of hospitality, no Japanese custom manifests this more than the tea ceremony and the serving of sweets. At its core, it is “what is the essence of entertaining people” and the values of ‘harmony, respect, and sincerity’ became part of this ceremony.

1,000 years of cultivation has elevated Japanese confectionary into an art form of multi-sensorial delights. In a world that may need a bit more ‘harmony, respect, and sincerity,’ we bring you a collection of premium Japanese confectionary that will delight your senses and calm your soul.

Included with your curated package of Japanese confectionary, you will also find some tea.  We hope you enjoy both as the sweetness of the confectionary is counterbalanced by the bitterness of Japanese tea.

Wagashi = confectionary

Bunka = culture

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