This is Hachinoya’s summer wagashi only offered in this season.
Not only it looks like a broad bean or a soybean, but it’s also made of sweetened red bean paste covered with white bean paste. (Bean lovers have got to try this.)

Beans inside a basket. So cute!

Ingredients:
Sugar, azuki-bean(red), otebo-bean(white), egg, glutinous starch syrup, butter, fresh cream, rice flour, sweet sake

Shop’s website:
Hachinoya’s homepage (Japanese)
Hachinoya’s homepage (English translated by Google)

“Children’s Day” is a Japanese national holiday which takes place annually on May 5. This day was celebrated in order to wish the healthy growth and happiness of the boys in the family.

In Japan, carp is believed as a symbol of strength and courage. Therefore, we have custom of hanging out Koinobori (carp streamers) on a tall pole on Children’s Day to pray that boys in the house will take after carp and live their lives strongly.

The wagashi in the photo is a special Children’s Day treat modeled after the carp streamers.
This type of wagashi is originally known as Ayu (sweetfish) which is very familiar during the summer season. Sweet rice cake and bean paste are covered with a thin pancake-like skin.

Japanese seems to love molding confection into fish (such as taiyaki). Our love into fish is quite amazing!

Shop information:
Tsuruya Yoshinobu’s homepage (Japanese)
Tsuruya Yoshinobu’s homepage (English translated by Google)

I’ve been addicted to having sakuramochi this Spring.
They were so beautiful and yummy… I miss them so much!

See the first post about Sakuramochi.
The sakuramochi in the photo represents the Kansai (western) style.

Shop information:
Minamoto Kitchoan’s homepage (Japanese)
Minamoto Kitchoan’s homepage (English translated by Google)

See the first post about Sakuramochi.
The sakuramochi in the photo represents the Kansai (western) style.

Shop information:
Hontakasagoya’s homepage (Japanese)
Hontakasagoya’s homepage (English translated by Google)

Sakuramochi is a seasonal wagashi which consists of pink mochi (rice cake) and red bean paste, covered with a sakura (cherry) leaf. It is a popular confection that you can see only in the spring season.

The style of sakuramochi differs depending on the region in Japan. Basically, Kanto (eastern) style such as Tokyo is made from rice flour and Kansai (western) style such as Osaka is made from glutinous rice flour for batter.

The one in the photo represents the Kanto (eastern) style. The red bean paste is covered with a flat, crepe-like mochi.

Shop information:
Aoyagi’s homepage (Japanese)
Aoyagi’s homepage (English translated by Google)

Senbei are Japanese rice crackers made by being baked or grilled traditionally over charcoal.
They are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack.Senbei come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet.

This one is sweet type senbei which has crispy horsebeans mixed inside.
A print of deer is a familiar motif of Nara prefecture.

Shop information:
Kuruminoki’s homepage (Japanese)
Kuruminoki’s homepage (English translated by Google)

This confection is a soft rice cake coated with green soybean flour. Its color is light green like a uguisu (bush warbler), the symbol of spring. It has a filling made of sweet red bean paste.

Shop location:
4-4-2, Eifuku,
Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168-0064
（Other chain stores）

Shop’s website:
Aoyagi’s homepage (Japanese)
Aoyagi’s homepage (English translated by Google)

Monaka is a Japanese sweet made of azuki bean filling sandwiched between two thin crisp wafers made from rice flour.
As for the filling, sesame seed, chestnuts or rice cake are also popular. Monaka come in various shapes such as circle, square, triangle, or flower.

The filling of monaka in the photo:
(left) red azuki bean paste
(right) white azuki bean paste & sweetened chestnuts

Shop location:
1-23, Hongocho,Naka-ku
Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 231-0843

Shop’s website:
Kigetsudo’s homepage (Japanese)
Kigetsudo’s homepage (English translated by Google)

Jo-Namagashi is a type of confection which is generally served as a snack during a Japanese tea ceremony. It is beautifully designed in detail using seasonal and natural motifs such as leaves and flowers.

There are so many types of Jo-Namagashi, and this one is called Nerikiri, a white bean paste kneaded with gyuhi or yam. It is so soft and glutinous that you can mold it into various shapes. Food coloring is mixed into the paste before shaping.

The nerikiri in the photo resembles a tinted autumnal leaf. The filling is made of sweet red bean paste.

Shop location:
4-4-2, Eifuku,
Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168-0064
（Other chain stores）

Shop’s website:
Aoyagi’s homepage (Japanese)
Aoyagi’s homepage (English translated by Google)

Jo-Namagashi is a type of confection which is generally served as a snack during a Japanese tea ceremony. It is beautifully designed in detail using seasonal and natural motifs such as leaves and flowers.

This Jo-Namagashi is called Seppei.
It is decorated with a Japanese winterberry, and sweet white bean paste is stuffed inside the thin rice‐cake skin.

Shop location:
5-8-1, Nakazato,
Kiyose-shi, Tokyo 204-0003
（Other chain stores）

Shop’s website:
Shinkine’s homepage (Japanese)
Shinkine’s homepage (English translated by Google)