MMC Magazine

Traditional Japanese confectionery deeply rooted in Japanese lifestyles

Traditional Japanese Confectionery developed in the Edo Period

Traditional Japanese confectionery is not only tasty, but also visually attractive because of its colours and shapes. The beauty of traditional Japanese confectionery is in its very artistic style.

The history is long and it began when people in the Jomom Period (about 14000–1000 BCE) called fruits they picked and ate as a snack or light meal “kashi” which means “sweets” in Japanese.

Later between the Asuka and Heian Periods (592–1185), kara-kudamono or togashi, literally “assorted pastry confections of Chinese origin,” made by kneading wheat and rice flour with sugar and frying them, were introduced to Japan from China. During in the Kamakura and Muromachi Period (1185–1573), sweet bean jelly (yokan) and sweet buns (manju), called tenshin, which means “Chinese sweets,” were also introduced from China.

Then, cakes made with white sugar and eggs, such as castilla and biscuits were also introduced from Portugal and Spain. These were collectively called namban-gashi, meaning “sweets adopted from Portugal and Spain.” Around that time, the Japanese tea ceremony began and light refreshments were created to be served with the tea, although they were very different from what we know now.

In the Edo Period (1602–1868), along with the increase in imported sugar and the spread of the Japanese tea ceremony, sweets also developed significantly. As they developed, they began to approach what we recognize now a wagashi, the traditional Japanese confectionery.

The term wagashi was coined in the Meiji Period (1868–1912). After many western sweets were introduced to Japan, traditional Japanese confectionery came to be called wagashi to distinguish it from yogashi, or sweets brought from western countries.

Expressing ever-changing seasons

Although being simplified recently, Japan has a wide variety of annual events, which are deeply associated with traditional Japanese confectionery.

For example, flower petal rice cakes (hanabira-mochi) for New Year’s Day, rice cakes made with the mugwart plant (kusa-mochi) for the Doll Festival, rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves (Kashiwa-mochi) for the Boys Festival, rice balls covered with bean paste (ohagi) for the equinoctial week and dumplings (dango) for autumn moon viewing are offered to the Gods and Buddhas for purification and to pray for health and happiness. In addition, for festivals held to pray or give thanks for a bountiful harvest, rice cakes and dumplings are essential. Confectionery is deeply connected to our daily lives.

Furthermore, lots of Japanese confectionery is also related to seasons. Soft sweet bean jelly and dumplings are a specialty during the hot summer. Rice cakes made with sweet bean paste and chestnuts (kuri-kanoko) is an autumn specialty made of seasonal ingredients. There is also a type confectionery that expresses the seasons through colours and shapes. Nerikiri is an artistic sweet featuring white bean paste, rice cake made from glutinous rice flour (gyuhi), and Japanese yam. It is moulded into the shape of a cherry blossom in spring, a green plum in early summer, a chrysanthemum in autumn and the cold wind in winter and are sold in stores throughout Japan.

The motifs of the confec­tionery are not limited to the four seasons, but expanded to 24 seasons (one season is about 15 days), or 72 seasons (one season is about five days). Buds gradually swell, leaves sprout and turn red and the atmosphere of the clouds and wind changes as time goes by and confectionery is the result of heightened sensitivity to the subtle beauty of the natural environment that the Japanese people cherish.

Classification of Traditional Japanese Confectionery

Confectionery is classified into three major categories depending on the water content; unbaked, semi-baked and dry. Cakes made of white bean paste and glutinous rice flour (nerikiri), rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste (daifuku) and soft sweet bean jelly (mizu-yokan) are unbaked sweets containing 30 % water. Hard candies (rakugan), rice crackers and millet or rice cakes (okoshi) are dried sweets containing less than 10% water. Wafers filled with bean jam (monaka) and firm sweet bean jellies are semi-baked with a water content between unbaked and semi-baked sweets.

Seasonal Traditional Japanese Confectionery

Spring: Peony (Nerikiri)

Peonies blooming in spring are a lovely motif. Nightingales are also a popular motif in spring. Light pink and green are often used. 

Summer: Goldfish (Kingyoku-kan)

Goldfish swimming in a river are very refreshing to see. Red goldfish made with sweet bean jelly are placed in a transparent agar. River, fish, fireflies and the moon in the sky are popular motifs for summer.

Autumn: Autumn Foliage (Kinton)

Autumn foliage is expressed by covering adzuki bean paste with bean paste in three different colors made by mixing white bean paste, agar and starch syrup. Persimmons, chestnuts, chrysanthemums and fallen leaves are popular motifs. 

Winter: Snowstorm (Manju)

This sweet bun is made with dough mixed with Japanese yam and it has a thin surface. Bean paste is seen on the surface, and it expresses the snow driven by the wind. Yuzu and winter camellia are popular motifs for winter.

Tools used for making traditional japanese confectionery

1. Branding Irons: Used to make patterns on the surface of manju (sweet buns) and dorayaki (bean-jam pancakes).

2. Cutters: Used to make shapes of nerikiri and yokan (sweet bean jelly).Each leaf for the kinton shown in the photo is made with a cutter.

3. Molds: Used to make patterns on the surface of nerikiri and other doughs by pressing.

4. Triangular Spatulas: Used to make patterns on the surface of nerikiri and other dough using the corners of the triangle.

5. Bamboo Skewers: Used to place stamen or pistil of flowers, and kinton (mashed sweet potatoes), and make a hollow to place stamen and pistil.

Written in collaboration with: Keiko Omori (YUIMICO)