The Art of Japanese Confectioneries
What is Wagashi? Wagashi are sweet Japanese desserts made from glutinous rice, chestnuts, beans, brown sugar, and various flavorings. These confections are so tasty, they can be eaten as a dessert, snack, or even as a dessert before a meal.
“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.
