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Wagashi is a general term for traditional Japanese sweets. Originally served at traditional tea ceremonies, wagashi are more meticulously prepared than other foods, and their beautiful and artistic presentation has led to them being considered edible works of art. Wagashi is one of the representatives of Japanese culture and plays an important role in daily life in the country.
The origins of wagashi can be traced back to ancient confectionery made with rice, millet, other grains, nuts, and fruits commonly consumed in Japan's daily diet. This exquisite sweet treat is one of the greatest sources of pride for the Japanese people. Its name, wagashi, literally means "flower cake," and indeed, each cake is often decorated to resemble a flower, leaf, or fruit. Wagashi, made with rice flour, honey, red bean paste, sweet potato, chestnuts, etc., was often served as a dessert in the imperial family or wealthy households of the past.
Wagashi began to develop when sweets were imported into Japan through trade routes from the 7th century. The tea ceremony culture in Kyoto had a significant influence on the development of wagashi; they were often served at tea ceremonies as a gesture of hospitality, so they began to be made as visually appealing as possible, and the art of wagashi continued to flourish. Wagashi had a strong influence on classical Japanese literature, with entire poems written to describe the appearance of these sweets, further enhancing their popularity.
Because this type of sweet is often enjoyed as a snack with tea, it has a very high sugar content and very little oil is used. Plant-based ingredients such as syrup, rice, wheat, and red beans are used more frequently than in other sweets, although fresh, dried, or steamed fruits can also be used. Due to its predominantly plant-based ingredients, this type of sweet is considered healthy.
Sugar is only used in modern times, as white sugar was not readily available in Japan before the Edo period. Before sugar was available and when it was as expensive as wasanbon, the sweetener, if needed, was extracted from persimmons.
The basic ingredients for wagashi include a shell made from white bean starch mixed with a little glutinous rice flour (gyuhi) and sugar syrup, simmered into a smooth, pliable dough, and colored with food coloring. The filling is simply red bean paste. Sometimes, to achieve a glossy finish, wagashi are dipped in a layer of agar jelly after shaping to give them elasticity and prevent deformation.
In particular, the Japanese, following the principle of "eating what's in season," have specific types of wagashi (Japanese sweets) for each month of the year, as follows:
January: Hanabira Mochi
Japanese people often eat hanabira mochi during the New Year. The cake consists of two layers of soft, thinly rolled mochi: the outer layer is rice-white, and the inner layer is light pink. Next is a piece of burdock root (gobo), which is firm and slightly spicy, and finally, a layer of white bean paste (anko) filling. When folded, the cake forms a crescent shape, with the light pink mochi inside peeking through, giving it the appearance of a flower petal (hanabira).
Previously, hanabira mochi was only given as a gift from the imperial family to the nobility. At that time, the fillings were usually dried fish (ayu), venison, wild boar, or radish. During the Edo period (1600-1868), ayu and other meats were replaced with burdock root, symbolizing longevity and conforming to certain Buddhist regulations; at this time, the mochi was called hishi hanabira. It wasn't until the Meiji period (1868-1912) that hanabira mochi became popular with the general public in Kyoto.
February: Kobai Cake
February is the season when ume (plum blossoms) bloom, so the Japanese make kobai, a type of sweet cake characteristic of this season. Kobai are shaped like small, pretty Japanese plums. They are usually made with steamed bean flour and barley flour, and have a reddish-pink color.
March: Hishi Mochi
Hishi mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert for Hina Matsuri (the Japanese Girls' Doll Festival, celebrated on March 3rd). It boasts a delicate and sweet flavor. Visitors to Japan during this time will often see locals buying hishi mochi.
The cake is rhombus-shaped and made from rice flour. It consists of three layers of cake in three colors, presented in the following order: green (mugwort leaves) at the bottom, white (water chestnut) in the middle, and pink (jasmine flowers) at the top.
The colors on the cake carry various meanings: green symbolizes the freshness of summer or good fortune, white represents snowflakes or purity, and pink represents cherry blossoms or freshness.
April: Hanami Dango
Hanami dango is a type of mochi dessert. It's commonly enjoyed during cherry blossom viewing festivals. This type of cake has been popular in Japan since the 1800s.
These dumplings are made from glutinous rice flour and then steamed. They look similar to Vietnamese glutinous rice dumplings, but are strung together on a wooden skewer with three dumplings of three different colors, in order from bottom to top: green - white - pink.
There are two types of these cakes: the darker-colored ones are coated in bean paste, and the lighter-colored ones are baked in soy sauce and are called mitarashi dango.
May: Kashiwa Mochi
Kashiwa mochi is eaten on Kodomo no hi (a festival for Japanese boys held on May 5th every year). It's a flat, round rice cake made from uruchi rice flour, divided into two parts with a bean paste filling, and wrapped in oak leaves or sage leaves.
Old oak leaves do not fall until new sprouts develop, so they are considered to bring good luck and symbolize the willpower of a man to overcome difficulties and challenges. Before oak leaf-wrapped cakes were invented, and in areas with few native oak trees, there existed a type of cake wrapped in fig leaves.
June: Ajisai Cake
Ajisai consists of red bean paste (yokan) wrapped around a white bean paste filling, shaped like an ajisai (hydrangea flower). This cake will make you forget the gloomy weather of July during the rainy season.
July: Rakugan printed cakes and Aruheito candy
In July, the Japanese typically eat rakugan, a type of rice flour cake made from a mixture of rice flour (grain flour) kneaded with malt and wasabon sugar, pressed into molds, and then dried to a moisture content of less than 10%.
Originally, rakugan cakes were topped with black sesame seeds to resemble flocks of geese descending to the ground, a famous scenic spot in Omi Prefecture, hence the name rakugan. Considered a high-class confection by the Japanese, it is often served to guests at tea ceremonies.
Additionally, aruheito candy, a type of decorative candy, is also popular in July. This type of candy lasts a long time and is usually packaged in cute, small compartment-shaped boxes.
August: Mizu yokan (soft bean jelly)
Mizu yokan is a soft bean jelly dessert made from red bean paste, agar-agar, and sugar. In some places, variations include using white beans instead of red beans. The dessert is usually long and rectangular in shape and is sliced before serving. Mizu yokan is delicious when chilled, making it perfect for eating in the hot summer months.
September: O-hagi Cake
When talking about food offered as a sacrifice on the Autumn Equinox, one must mention o-hagi. O-hagi is made from steamed glutinous rice, shaped into round balls, and then coated with red bean paste. This type of cake resembles the flower of the Japanese clover (hagi), hence its name. It can be purchased at supermarkets or made at home.
October: Kuri no yaki-gashi (Japanese sweets)
In autumn, many chestnut-based sweets are sold throughout the country. Among them is kuri no yaki-gashi, also known as chestnuts baked in sugar syrup or brine. The cake is made from chestnut flour wrapped around a chestnut filling and then baked. Kuri no yaki-gashi originated from the tradition of Japanese children gathering fallen chestnuts in the autumn.
November: Momiji Cakes
Momiji are maple leaf-shaped cakes. They are made from bean paste dough and molded into the shape of an autumn maple leaf. The fillings come in various varieties, allowing diners to choose according to their preferences. On autumn evenings, Japanese people often hold parties where they enjoy momiji while admiring the moon and listening to the cheerful sounds of insects.
December: Yuzu manjū
Yuzu manjū is shaped like a yuzu fruit. The peel of the yuzu fruit is grated, mixed with wheat flour and yamato sweet potato flour, and then steamed. This mixture is then wrapped around a bean paste filling, creating a steamed bun that resembles a yuzu fruit. The delicate aroma of yuzu makes yuzu manjū perfect for enjoying on cold winter days.
