What is Wagashi

"Wagashi," or traditional Japanese confectionery, is more of a traditional Japanese artwork than a confectionery. Its delicate shape perfectly expresses the Japanese pursuit of food aesthetics and has become one of the symbols of Japanese food culture.

I don't know if you've ever noticed, but some wagashi are labeled as "raw confection (namagashi)". Do you know what "raw confection" is? According to the Chinese way of thinking, since there are raw fruits, are there also cooked fruits?

Of course there is no such thing as ripe fruit! But there are also "hanamagashi" and "higashi", which are usually not specified. These two types are usually not specified. Here's a quick overview of the different types of wagashi～

Simply put, wagashi are categorized according to the amount of water they contain. Those with a water content of 30% or more are called "raw sweets," such as the familiar snapper yaki and gongyaki, as well as daifuku and Japanese dumplings made with glutinous rice.

Those with less than 10% moisture are called "dry sweets," such as senbei and kumpei candy. Those with a moisture content between 10% and 30% are called "half-fruits", and the most familiar one is "monaka".

The more water there is, the softer the texture and the shorter the shelf life; on the other hand, the less water there is, the harder the texture and the longer the shelf life.

Wagashi carries a full sense of the seasons. Cherry blossom elements are used in spring, transparent kudzu flour is often used in summer, chestnuts and persimmons are used in fall because it's the harvest season, and in winter, thin-skinned steamed buns are often used to give a sense of warmth.

In addition to this, some dim sum, even if the filling and material are the same, will be designed with the seasonal changes in mind to match the style, shape. For example, in the current season, you can find hydrangea-style wakame, and in the fall, you can find maple-leaf steamed buns.

Finally, I'd like to test you. Can you tell which kind of wakame they belong to? Are they raw, semi-raw, or dried?