Wagashi (和菓子) are traditional Japanese sweets that are typically paired with matcha. There are various types of Wagashi, distinguished by their shapes, ingredients, and preparation methods. Some popular examples include Namagashi (生菓子), Daifuku (大福), and Dorayaki (どら焼き).
During the Obubu wagashi-making class, Ishida-san taught us how to create Namagashi, which is commonly served during traditional tea ceremonies. They are mainly made from sweet rice flour and filled with sweet bean paste, then carefully shaped by hand. Ishida-san designed 2 shapes for us, inspired by Obubu which are a tea flower and a tea field.
The first step is to flatten the nerikiri (練り切り), roll in the sweet bean paste inside and close it in a little ball. Although it seemed easy, closing it properly proved to be quite challenging. Next, we shape the Wagashi using our hands and special tools. After learning the shaping techniques, it was our create our own Wagashi. (I decided to create a little bunny, which turned out to be quite…cute lol)
After making the wagashi, the Obubu staff prepared us for the tea tasting session with insightful information about each one. And finally, the highlight of the day arrived: the opportunity to make our own Matcha. The experience of making our own matcha was truly satisfying and added the perfect finishing touch to the wagashi-making class.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to exploring more aspects of both Japanese tea and wagashi in the future!
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