Wagashi ~ Traditional Japanese Sweets

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Wagashi (和菓子, wa-gashi) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, anko (azuki bean paste), and fruits. Wagashi is typically made from plant ingredients.

In Japan the word for sweets, okashi (お菓子), originally referred to only fruits and nuts. China learned from India how to produce sugar and began trading it to Japan. The trade increased and sugar became a common seasoning by the end of the Muromachi period. Influenced by the introduction of tea and China's confectionery and dim sum, the creation of wagashi took off during the Edo period in Japan.

Today wagashi is a culinary art form and is usually created with a seasonal theme in mind. Served with tea, it is a sweet and delicate reminder to fully savor the beauty of each passing season.