Wagashi

Traditional Japanese sweets ( wagashi Japanese和 果子) are made of pure natural plant raw materials.

These include Senbei (rice crackers) and Daifuku ( balls of mochi (pounded rice) and Anko ( bean paste ) ). The name of the classic Wagashi is typically a natural beauty or a word from the classical literature.

Also in the tea ceremony are Okashi ( the O is a Honorativpräfix ) passed, because the green powdered tea (matcha) a more bitter taste and therefore is a candy served in return. The selection of a proper fitting to the season wagashi shows the level of education of the host.

Omogashi is a species of candy for thick tea. The preparation is usually done with red bean paste ( Anko ), sugar, rice flour and agar-agar. Higashi (干 果子) is for thin green tea. The brightly colored sugar cake reflected in its design reflects the seasons.

Western sweets are known in Japan as Yōgashi (洋 果子). Among them fall so different things like imported Haribo bags over Oreo cookies up to the Sachertorte.

History

The origin of Wagashi is unclear, but they could already exist as long as people live in Japan. In an excavation of a settlement from the Jomon period charred remains were found, which seem to come from baked biscuits.

Before the sugar was introduced in the 16th century, Wagashi were sweetened with Mizuame, Suikazura or fresh or dried fruit. Diaries and notes from this and earlier times report on how high you then estimated dried fruits such as persimmon or raisins from wild vines. Even today, the dried persimmons is used as a benchmark for the sweetness of wagashi that has to be reached.

In the Edo period, sugar cane was grown increasingly in Okinawa brown sugar and low quality as well as highly refined white sugar were available. A type of sugar, Wasanbon, was perfected in this time and is still used exclusively for Wagashi. Wagashi was a popular gift among samurai, similar to today presented a good wine.

Types of Wagashi

  • Anmitsu
  • Bado
  • Daifuku
  • Dango
  • Gionbō (祇 园 坊)
  • Hanabiramochi
  • Higashi
  • Imagawayaki
  • Kusamochi
  • Kompeito
  • Manju
  • Matsunoyuki
  • Monaka
  • Namagashi
  • Oshiruko
  • Taiyaki
  • Uiro
  • Yakigashi
  • Yokan
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