What is Wagashi?
Wagashi 和菓子 are traditional Japanese confectionery that come in a wide variety of shapes, flavors, and styles, with their motifs and ingredients usually reflecting the traditions of the changing seasons. Traditionally they are served with a bowl of matcha at wagashi shops, teahouses, and tea ceremonies.
Below are some of the most popular types of wagashi.
Ohagi おはぎ
Ohagi is a type of wagashi made of glutinous rice balls coated with a layer of sweet red bean paste, imparting a rich and indulgent flavor. The final touch often involves rolling the ohagi in a variety of coatings such as toasted soybean flour or black sesame seeds, adding a textural contrast and enhancing its visual appeal.
Modern ohagi shops use white bean paste and pipe it on like icing to create a shape like a flower.
Manjū 饅頭
These delightful confections consist of a tender outer shell resembling a steamed bun made from flour, rice powder, or buckwheat flour, enveloping a variety of fillings that range from sweet bean paste to fruit chestnut and matcha-infused cream.
Manjū come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, each offering a unique flavor experience.
Dorayaki どら焼き
Dorayaki is a popular Japanese sweet made of two fluffy pancakes sandwiched together with sweet red bean paste. The pancakes are lightly sweetened and cooked until golden brown, creating a deliciously simple treat. Enjoyed as a snack or dessert, dorayaki offers a satisfying balance of textures and flavors, making it a favorite among people of all ages in Japan.
Dango 団子
Dango, perhaps the most well-known wagashi worldwide due to its presence in anime, manga, and video games, is a traditional Japanese confectionery consisting of three balls of mochi skewered on bamboo sticks. One of the charms of dango lies in its versatility. It can be enjoyed in various forms, with various kinds of sauce and toppings. For those seeking a taste of tradition, mitarashi dango reigns supreme. These dango are glazed with a luscious mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and starch, resulting in a glossy sheen that enhances their natural sweetness.
During festive occasions such as Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) Hanami Dango symbolizes the arrival of spring and the joy of community gatherings with its pink, white, and green coloring.
Sakuramochi 桜餅
Sakuramachi is enjoyed during Hanami, the traditional custom of flower viewing, as friends and families gather beneath the blooming trees to revel in the beauty of nature.
This confection consists of a soft, pink-colored sticky rice cake enveloping a sweet filling of smooth red bean paste, all wrapped in a preserved cherry blossom leaf.
Warabimochi わらび餅
Warabimochi is a traditional Japanese treat made from bracken starch. It has a jelly-like texture and is typically coated with kinako
(roasted soybean flour).
One of the distinctive features of warabimochi is its light and delicate consistency, which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth quality. Unlike traditional mochi made from glutinous rice, warabimochi has a unique texture that is more jelly-like and soft.
Nerikiri 練り切り
Nerikiri is made out of sweetened white bean paste and glutinous rice flour, colored with natural or artificial food coloring. The inside is made of either adzuki bean or white bean paste. The paste is dough-like and can be molded into all different kinds of shapes by hand or by using tools. Traditionally this type of wagashi is shaped into things like flowers and animals that reflect the seasons such as cherry blossoms in the spring and momiji in the fall.
Mizu Yokan水羊羹
Mizu yokan is a clear and thick type of wagashi with a base made of agar agar, sugar, and water. What makes this wagashi so special is that since the base is clear, small pieces of bean paste or jelly in the shape of flowers, koi fish, or colorful balls are placed carefully inside of it so that they appear to float in the jelly after it hardens.