January 2024 – Wada Wagashi

New Year Wagashi Workshop

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We had our first workshop of the new year! On January 13th, I held my third parent-child wagashi class. This time we made “Hanabira-mochi” and “Ume-shaped (Japanese plum) Nerikiri” to celebrate the New Year. Hanabira-mochi is a limited-time sweet sold in wagashi shops during the New Year season. It’s known for being used in the Urasenke tea ceremony during the first tea ceremony of the New Year. This delightful treat consists of soft white and red mochi filled with miso-an paste and candied burdock root. The soft mochi texture, slight miso flavor, and burdock scent creates a harmonious blend of textures and flavors. I personally love this sweet – enough […]

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Hanabira-mochi

Happy 2024! It’s a new year and that means it’s time for Hanabira-mochi. This is a fresh wagashi that can been seen for sale in shops around Japan for the new year season. It’s one of my personal favorites, so allow me to tell you about it. First off, let’s start with the very basics. What is “Hanabira”? Hanabira means petal. “Hanabira-mochi” expresses a petal of the Japanese plum flower, which blooms in winter. Sounds so fascinating! Hanabira-mochi is made with white and pink mochi, candied burdock root, and sweet miso paste (a mix of white miso and white beans paste). The mochi is rolled out and cut into circles.