Learn about sweets and wagashi (Japanese confectionery) born in Japan - A thorough explanation of the history, ingredients, types, and how to eat them!

Wagashi Japanese sweets are said to have originated in the Jomon period, thousands of years ago. Mochi or rice cake was the first to becreated. It is said that people in ancient times dried and preserved tree nuts, crushed them into powder to remove the bitter taste, rolled them into balls, and heated them to make rice cakes. There is also a description of mochi in an old book from around 934, and it seems that it was made as an offering to the gods using rice, which was expensive at the time, and was treated as a very sacred thing. This was the birth of "mochi", which is said to be the oldest processed food in Japan.

After that, the production methods and techniques of wagashi evolved under the influence of exchanges with Tang Dynasty (now China) and the development of tea ceremony culture. As time went by, various materials were used, processing techniques improved, and high-quality wagashi with beautiful shapes began to be created.

Incidentally, it is said that the origin of the Japanese word 'kashi' (菓子 - confectionery) comes from the fact that ancient people, who did not have enough to eat, would eat nuts and fruits when they were hungry (菓 / ka - means nuts and fruits). For the ancient population who did not have the technology to process food, the sweetness of fruits was special, and it is thought that they were distinguished from staple foods.

The most commonly used ingredient in Japanese sweets is anko (bean paste). This is made by crushing beans into a paste and adding a sweet flavor to it. Beans - especially azuki - are essential ingredients when talking about wagashi.

Other typical ingredients for making wagashi include glutinous rice and other grains, and kanten, which has a plump texture when boiled and melted. In addition, since Japanese sweets are often made with shapes and ingredients that are associated with the four seasons of Japan, seasonal fruits are often used. In particular, chestnuts and persimmons are often used as ingredients, and peaches, pears, mandarin oranges, and plums are often used to imitate their shape or to make the most of their fragrance.

Next, let's introduce the types of wagashi Japanese sweets. Wagashi can be broadly classified into namagashi (raw/fresh confectionery), han-namagashi (semi-raw confectionery), and dried confectionery. Among these three, we will introduce the ones that are often found at souvenir shops and wagashi shops. Maybe you've seen or eaten some of the foods on the list?

Just as bitter coffee goes well with sweet pastries, and whiskey and red wine go well with chocolate, there are drinks that go well with wagashi.

The tea that goes well with each type of wagashi varies.Strongly sweet and sticky namagashi go well with strong-tasting Japanese tea. Especially matcha and elegant gyokuro green tea are perfect!

On the other hand, for senbei crackers and baked goods that have a strong soy sauce flavor, we recommend bancha, which has a strong aroma and richness!

Daifuku, ohagi, and other heavy mochi sweets go well with light roasted green tea, less astringent Ceylon tea, and Assam tea.

How was this article? Be sure to use this article as a reference when you visit Japan next time, and try and compare different types of Japanese sweets when you can!