Japanese Sweets in Foreign Countries

Today, more and more manufacturers of Japanese sweets locally produce them abroad. Japanese sweets are becoming popular abroad. In Taiwan especially, there are many manufactures of them, because  once Taiwan was under Japanese rule. People could eat various Japanese sweets there. For example, manju (buns with bean-jam filling), monaka (wafer cakes with bean jam), daihuku-mochi (rice cakes), rice crackers and dorayaki (pancakes sandwiching azuki-bean paste in between), but their seasoning is different from Japanese. Locally, some people regard them as healthy and low-calorie food. According to the report of Zenkoku Wagashi Kyokai (Japan Wagashi Association), the amount of export of Japanese sweets has increased more than 40 percent, compared with the amount of 10 years ago. Japanese sweets is highly valued for their beautiful appearance overseas. Through them, some people could have an interest in them. It is certain that Japanese sweets will become more popular abroad.

(http://www.ima-earth.com/contents/entry.php?id=2009669731)

There is a term 'tegatamono'. This means the Japanese sweets which is made by hand alone, or the skills of making such sweets. As it is made by hand, Japanese sweets chefs could express their originality and individuality like painters and calligraphers. For example, 2 Japanese sweets chefs are trying to make Japanese sweets imaged momiji (autumn leaves).

Momiji (autumn leaves)

(http://www.e-glasses.jp/blog/2007/11/2-10.html)

One made it abstractly.

Momiji

(http://www.kashinmaruichi.co.jp/commodity/details/157.html)

The other made it delicately.

Momiji

(http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kisarawagasi/22374276.html)

It is not that which sweets is superior, or which sweets is right. The difference is truly their originality and individuality. Even they have the same name, there are various tegatamono sweets. Such tegatamono is valued highly both in Japan and abroad.

Japanese Sweets in the Tea Ceremony

In the tea ceremony, it is necessary to serve Japanese sweets which emphasize tea flavor. Such Japanese sweets is especially called tyagashi. Tyagashi is generally seasonal sweets and casually associated with charm of each of the four seasons. Of course, hot sweets is served in the cold weather, and cool sweets is served in the hot weather. In addition to this, the tea ceremony themes its sweets.

The tyagashi is classified into two types: omogashi and higashi.
Omogashi is the main sweets and voluminous, but it is made with no butter, cheese or fat. For example, manju (buns with bean-jam filling), yokan (bars of sweet jellied azuki-bean paste), kinton (mashed sweet potatoes), neriki (cakes made of white bean jam which is artistically colored or shaped) and so on. And they have beautiful kamei. In addition to this, there are various features of omogashi as follows:

　　　　・It has a gentler fragrance (reserved fragrance).

　　　　・It is very beautiful to look at.

　　　　・It has a texture melting in the mouth.

　　　　・It is casually associated with charm of each of the four seasons.

Higashi is dried or desiccated sweets. For example, rakugan (hard candy), konpeito (small colored sugar candy covered in bulges), rice confectionery and so on.
Normally, higashi is eaten when partaking of light green tea whereas, omogashi  is served with the fuller-bodied green tea.

(http://kokorouruoi.blog105.fc2.com/category11-3.html)

Seasonal Japanese Sweets (Winter)

There are many Japanese sweets made in the image of seasons, because Japan has four seasons and the Japanese are sensitive to the change of them.
In the winter Japanese sweets, snow is often used as a motif. Those sweets are white like snow. For example, yuki-mochi, yuki-botan, yuki-tsubaki, yuki-usagi and so on. Yuki is snow in Japanese. By the way, winter is also the coldest season of the year, so there are hot sweets too; kuzuyu (arrowroot gruel), oshiruko (sweet red-bean soup), zenzai (rice cake with red-bean paste) and so on.

Yuki (snow)

(http://woman.excite.co.jp/blog/kawaii/sid_897425/)

And there are many Japanese sweets related to the traditional events in winter (December, January and February). Especially, many events are concentrated in New Year season. The events and its sweets are follows.

*January*

<New Year's Holidays>
The new year's day is called "gantan" in Japanese. On this day, the Japanese eat special food which are made as a lucky charm for the perfect health over the year and the prosperity of descendants. And "osechi" is the nest of boxes which contains  those lucky food, and have been loved for a long time. By the way, these days, there is the osechi which contains many Japanese sweets. It is very colorful and gaining popularity. Of course, there are some sweets regarded as lucky charm too. For example, hanabira-mochi (flower petal rice cake) is the most famous in Kyoto. It is eaten at the imperial court and the Shinto shrines since long ago. Eating it is originally the function which is practiced in new year's holiday. This is to pray for a long life by eating it (hard food) and making the teeth stronger.

(http://shop.gnavi.co.jp/bishokucircle/shzn-wagashi2011)

*February*


<setsubun>
Setsubun was originally the day before the beginning of seasons, that is, the day before the first day of spring(rissyun), summer(rikka), autumn(rissyu) or winter(ritto), and means the time of seasonal change. But after the Edo period, setsubun is mainly the day before the first day of spring in particular. And it cames to the festival on February 3. They has believed that orges appear at setsubun, so tried to warding them off. In the setsubun festival, they practice exorcism and avoidance of bad orges by the special way. It is called "mamemaki"(the bean-scattering). They throw roasted soybeans, huku-mame (fortune beans), either out the door or at the person who plays a role of the orges while the people say "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! " (Orges out! Luck in!). Many sweets related to the setsubun festival are used huku-mame as their ingredients or motif.

(http://www.mametomi.co.jp/sub3.html)

Seasonal Japanese Sweets (Autumn)

There are many Japanese sweets made in the image of seasons, because Japan has four seasons and the Japanese are sensitive to the change of them.
Autumn is the season that people could harvest the most kinds of fruits and nuts in a year. So there are many autumn Japanese sweets used those harvest as motifs and ingredients. For example, kaki (Japanese persimmon), satsumaimo (sweet potato), gin'nan (ginkgo nuts) and kuri (chestnuts).  Especially, chestnuts are used to make them. The examples are kuri-manju (buns with bean-jam filling and chestnuts) and kuri-yokan (bar of sweet jellied azuki-bean paste which contain chestnuts).

(http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kty360/36045592.html)

And there are many Japanese sweets related to the traditional events in autumn (September, October and November). The events and its sweets are follows.

*September and October*


<otsukimi>
Otsukimi is the moon-viewing party in the night with a full moon in September. People offer Japanese pampas grass, dumplings, eddo and so on, and enjoy viewing the full moon. There are various Japanese sweets associated with otsukimi, among them, there are many sweets whose motif is rabbit. The reason for this is that the Japanese imagine a rabbit making mochi (rice cakes) when they see the full moon.

(http://www.cims.jp/moon/rabidance/subhtml/toyhtml/tukimi.html)

Seasonal Japanese Sweets (Summer)

There are many Japanese sweets made in the image of seasons, because Japan has four seasons and the Japanese are sensitive to the change of them.
All the summer Japanese sweets look so cool. Probably because summer is the hottest season of the year, so Japanese wanted the only sweets to look cool. The Japanese sweets which look so cool are mizu-yokan, hakuro and mizubotan, for example. Mizu-yokan is a type of yokan (azuki bean jelly), containing less agar and more water. In summer, they chill and then eat it. Hakuro is made from Japanese yam and shiroan (white bean paste) and so on. The white color of it looks so cool. And mizubotan is made from agar and shiroan which contains dried plum pulp. It looks cool and tastes sour, so it is very preferably eated during summer.

Mizubotan

(http://baigetsu.hamazo.tv/e2186961.html)

And there are many Japanese sweets related to the traditional events in summer (June, July and August). The events and its sweets are follows.

*July*


<tanabata>

Tanabata is the star festival on July 7. They decorate bamboos with colored papers and tanzaku. Tanzaku is long, narrow strips of colored papers and they write their wishes on it. The festival was originally Chinese old festival to plead for good harvest and improving skills. People considered two white stars, Hikoboshi (Altair of Aquila) and Orihime (Vega of Lyra), as the god of agriculture and the god of sericulture, dyeing and weaving, so worship them. In Japan, the festival started as the court event during the Nara period (710~794). According the records written in the Heian period (794~1185), the aspect of pleasure was more emphasized. And it is said that seven plays come to enjoy in the Muromachi period; poetry contest, kemari (Japanese ancient football), go (board game of capturing territory), hana (flower arrangement), kaiawase (Japanese pelmanism with clamshells), yokyu (target practicing game) and ko (incense-smelling ceremony).
By the way, there are many legends related to tanabata around the world. In Japan, the most famous legend among them is the sad love story with orihime and hikoboshi as follows.

Orihime is the daughter of Emperor Tentei. She is a skilled weaver who creates masterful textiles for her father's garments. When it comes to marry, Tentei introduces her to Hikoboshi, a shepherd. Their marriage is so blissful that she begins to neglect her weaving.
Tentei becomes angered by her neglect and banishes them to opposite ends of the galaxy. But her grief is so great that Tentei, her father, finally permits her to be transported by a boatman (the moon) across the river Amanogawa (the Milky Way) to rendezous with Hikoboshi once a year, on July 7 (on the lunar calendar). If it rains on this date, the boatman doesn't appear. Instead, a flock of crows (or magpies) forms a bridge which she walks over.

Around the tanabata season, many Japanese sweets imaged tanabata are sold. All of them is very fantastic and beautiful. Their names are also beautiful.

Amanogawa (the Milky Way)

(http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/aireisenn/25868490.html)

Seasonal Japanese Sweets (Spring)

There are many Japanese sweets made in the image of seasons, because Japan has four seasons and the Japanese are sensitive to the change of them.
In the seasonal Japanese sweets imaged spring, there are many kinds of them imaged cherry blossoms especially. In addition to this, there are various motifs associated with spring; Japanese apricot, new bamboo shoot which come into bud in spring and so on.

(http://doron.allabout.co.jp/s/060215/)

And there are many Japanese sweets related to the traditional events in spring (March, April and May). The events and its sweets are follows.

*March*

<hina-matsuri >
Hina-matsuri is the dolls' festival on March 3rd. They display hina dolls centering around the doll representing the emperor called obina, and the doll representing the empress called mebina with peach flowers, and enjoy eating and drinking shirozake (sweet white sake). This festival combines playing with the hina dolls and exorcism introduced from China. In the past, they wrote their own birthdays on paper dolls on March 3rd. And they made them their own scapegoats, then, in the evening, they floated them down rivers as they prayed for health. Some Japanese sweets are used as the offerings. For example, uguisu-mochi, sakura-mochi, hishi-mochi and so on. Uguisu-mochi is lapped by gyuhi and shaped like an uguisu (Japanese bush warbler).

(http://www.azabu-aono.com/gift/winter.html)

*May*

<the iris festival>
In the iris festival on May 5, they practice exorcism and avoidance of bad luck with iris and wormwood. Some Japanese sweets have been ate as a celebratory sweets on the day. For example, kashiwa-mochi, chimaki and so on. Kashiwa-mochi is a rice cake wrapped in an oak leaf. By the way, the oak tree have a rare nature. The old leaves never fall before new burgeons have roots in the tree. So it spread as a bringer of good luck which inspired the idea that family line never fails. Chimaki is a rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves. It is said that the custom to eat chimaki on the day is originated from the fact that Qu Yuan, the Chinese patriot poet, died on May 5 and people who loved and respected him threw chimaki into the Miluo river where he jumped into, in order to calm down his soul and as bait for fish so the fish would not eat his body.

What's "Kamei"?

In the middle of the Edo period, many artistic fields' activities became active, especially the Rinpa group including Korin Ogata. And then the cultural salon centered on them was formed. They valued artistic quality in the Heian dynasty period there. And Japanese sweets also came to make under the new aesthetic values. In that time, many Japanese sweets catalogs with illustrations appeared. Therefore it became common that not only their tastes and but also their appearances were enjoyed. And eventually they also enjoyed the sounds of the name Japanese sweets. They named after various Japanese classic dynastic styled literature; "Genji Monogatari (the Tale of Genji), "Kokin Wakashu (A Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry) and so on. The kamei is the elegant names which named like this and it is very euphonious. In the kamei, the names which named after the emperors of Japan, court nobles and imperial families especially are the onmei.


As follows, the kamei is classified by what they named after. In addition to those, there are various classifies by Chinese classic literature, titles of noh songs daily commodities or clothing.


*plants*

For example, kankobai and natane-no-sato and so on. Kankobai is a kind of the name by ume trees, and blooms in the biting wind. Natane-no-sato is the name based on rape blossoms.

 Kankobai

(http://outdoor.geocities.jp/hpmonda/hanajyouhou_2010.html)

 Kankobai (Japanese sweet)

(http://moroeya.co.jp/archives/11)

 *animals*

For example, uzura-mochi and kujira-mochi. Uzura is quail, thickset bird and kujira is whale. These sweets are similar to quail and whale each other in the shape. And mochi means rice cake.

 Uzura

(http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A6%E3%82%BA%E3%83%A9)

Uzura-mochi

(http://blog.livedoor.jp/kikyou0123/archives/51136328.html)

*natural phenomena*

For example, harugasumi and usugori. Harugasumi means spring mist and usugori means thin ice originally. These sweets named by liking to those natural phenomena.

Harugasumi

(http://ayaya55a.exblog.jp/8445267/)

Usugori

(http://blog.goo.ne.jp/terumomo1955/e/4306d17911756638d8f590dbf25451a6)

*ingredients and recipes* 

For example, kuri-yokan and yuzu-manju. Kuri means chestnuts and yuzu means small citrus fruit originally. And yokan is  bars of sweet jellied azuki-bean paste, manju is buns with bean‐jam filling.

*sights*

For example, arashiyama and takao. Both Arashiyama and Takao is the famous sights of Kyoto.

*the famous persons' names*


For example, rikyu-manju and oribe-manju. Rikyu is the great tea master, Sen-no-Rikyu. Oribe is Japanese military commander who loves the tea ceremony.


*scenes*

For example, miyako-no-haru and hatsuhinode. Originally, miyako-no-haru means the spring in the city and hatsuhinode means the first sunrise of the year.