Workshop

[Event Report] Handmade Wagashi Workshop – Warabi Mochi & Mitarashi Dango Making

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Hello everyone, On August 1st, we held a Handmade Wagashi Workshop.This time, we responded to participants’ requests and chose two popular treats: Warabi Mochi and Mitarashi Dango. Both are traditional sweets that wagashi artisans usually make with great care in specialized shops. Warabi mochi is typically kneaded over heat in a pot, and mitarashi dango is often made by pounding steamed dough using a mochi-making machine. But in this workshop, we introduced microwave-friendly methods so that participants could easily recreate these sweets at home. Warabi Mochi Making We started with the warabi mochi. Participants mixed the ingredients and watched closely as the mixture thickened in the microwave.As the dough became […]

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[Event Report] July’s petit Wagashi Workshop

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Hello everyone, In July, we held our “Petit Wagashi Workshop” twice. Here’s a little report on how it went. July 6th＠Kyoto This was our very first lesson held at a venue in Kyoto. Although I was a bit unsure at first using unfamiliar equipment, I managed to get everything set up and we got started without a hitch. We began with an explanation of the ingredients, then moved on to kneading the dough. During the next step—wrapping the sweet bean paste—everyone chatted and enjoyed the process in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Even first-time participants seemed to have fun as they worked with their hands. Once the dumplings were wrapped, we

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[Event Report] Petit Wagashi Workshop in Nara – Enjoying Minazuki and Suhama Together

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Hello! On June 22nd, we held the second session of the “Petit Wagashi Workshop” , this time in Nara. Following the first event in Osaka, we again focused on Minazuki, the traditional sweet for June. Learning from the Previous Lesson The first session in Osaka had its share of unexpected hiccups (please see the previous blog for details!), but this time, I made sure to learn from those experiences and proceeded with greater caution. In particular, I focused on “keeping an eye on the clock and staying calm.” Thanks to that, everything went smoothly as planned, and I believe the participants were able to relax and enjoy the workshop with

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[Event Report] Petit Wagashi Workshop in Osaka – June’s Theme: “Minazuki”

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Hello! On June 8th, I launched a new wagashi workshop in Osaka called “Petit Wagashi Workshop.” In this monthly class, we focus on one type of wagashi at a time—not only making the sweets by hand, but also learning about their background and history. It’s a hands-on lesson with a touch of cultural insight. For our very first session, the theme was Minazuki, a traditional sweet enjoyed in June. Making Learning Fun Unlike previous wagashi workshops, this one included a longer lecture-style segment, so I put extra thought into keeping the experience enjoyable for everyone. The explanation part about Minazuki was presented in a quiz format, with a few light-hearted

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handmade wagashi workshop of spring

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Hello everyone, You can really feel the signs of spring more and more with each passing day. On March 25th, we held a wagashi (Japanese sweets) workshop with a spring-themed focus. This time, we made two classic seasonal sweets: Ichigo Daifuku (strawberry mochi) and Sakura Mochi (cherry blossom rice cakes). For this session, I intentionally skipped the usual prep work and waited until arriving on-site to measure ingredients and prepare. However, I couldn’t quite get everything ready before the scheduled start time, so things were a bit hectic at the beginning… Even so, we managed to kick things off safely! We started with making the dough for the sakura mochi.

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February wagashi workshop

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Hello everyone, The other day, on February 15th, I held a Wagashi Experience class. The theme this time was Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Festival), and the sweets we made were nerikiri-style male and female Hina dolls. When thinking about the design of the sweets for the lesson, I didn’t want to follow the usual method of wrapping the filling and adding lines. Instead, I wanted to emphasize the kimono feel, so this time I decided to roll out the nerikiri, cut it, and wrap it around the bean paste to create the dolls. In my original plan, I had thought of making both the male and female Hina dolls together as a

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dorayaki party

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On the recent holiday, November 24th, I hosted a dorayaki (Japanese sweet pancake) party. We used hot plates to make mini dorayaki, and everyone added their own toppings. It was a fun party where everyone made their own unique dorayaki and had a great time. Preparing the Sweet Red Bean Paste (Dorayaki Filling) For this occasion, I began preparing the sweet red bean paste (anko) a week in advance. I searched for ways to make anko easily at home and tried two different methods after looking through various recipes. The first method I tried was using a rice cooker. I added the adzuki beans to the rice cooker and set

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wagashi experience class in autumn

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Hello everyone, On November 10th, I held my Wagashi Experience class in Osaka. The theme for this session was “Autumn.”The sweets we made were “Momiji” (maple leaves) and “Yamayosou” (autumn attire), both crafted using nerikiri (a type of soft dough). These sweets were inspired by the beauty of autumn. “I want to do more than just teach people how to make wagashi; I want to share as much as I can about wagashi itself,” I thought. So, for this session, I decided to display a few of the wagashi tools I personally use. I displayed the tools near the entrance and, before starting the lesson, I gave a brief introduction

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