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IHG ANA HOTELS in Japan. Check it out.
Here,we introduce hot sightseeing spots and cultural information from the areas
close to IHG ANA HOTELS in Japan. Check it out! |
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When the Japanese nation was born, Japan was known as the "Land of Wa". Even now,
the prefix "wa" is so evocative of the essence of Japan that when you see it attached
to the name of something, you know that the item in question means more to Japanese
culture than just the thing in itself. Washi (Japanese paper), wafuku (Japanese
clothes - kimono) and washoku (Japanese cuisine) are all good examples but wagashi
(Japanese sweets) have perhaps kept their popularity through the ages more than
any of the rest put together.
What is a Japanese sweet? Perhaps what distinguishes them most clearly from western
sweets are the ingredients. It is rare to find dairy products or eggs in traditional
recipes. If you are new to wagashi, what might well throw you at first is the
ubiquitous azuki bean. These little gems - known as "red diamonds" on the Japanese
stock exchange - are boiled and mixed with generous helpings of sugar to make
a paste that forms the filling of many a sweet treat particularly mochi (rice
cakes). You will also find azuki accompanied by mochi in a thick sweet soup called
zenzai. Made almost entirely of azuki is the firm, jelly-like yokan which often
contains chestnuts. Perhaps higashi alone are completely bean-free. These are
rock-hard sweets made by pressing sugar into artfully carved wooden moulds.
But this is just the starting point. From the same basic ingredients, come a bewildering
range of variations on a theme. Regional identity finds plenty of expression with
local produce and tastes reflected in the differences in local wagashi. Finding
your favourite Japanese sweet might take a whole lifetime of travel and investigation!
Early wagashi were simply the fruits and nuts eaten after a meal of rice and vegetables.
The first great leap forward came with rice cake making techniques imported from
China during the Nara Period (709-795 AD). At that time however, wagashi were
used in ceremonies as offerings and were not for general consumption. The next
re3ëĖvolution came with the introduction of sugar by European traders. Until then,
sweetness had always come from the natural flavours of fruits and vegetables.
Like so many things that seem so Japanese, one can find in wagashi a true cultural
mix.
Once wagashi were adopted as part of the tea ceremony, they became just as much
an expression of traditional artistry as gardens, flower arrangements and the
way of tea itself. An explosion of creativity during the Edo Period (1603-1867),
particularly in Kyoto, saw wagashi take on forms that we can still see today.
In the modern world of wagashi, alongside the same drive to innovate and compete
that fuelled the original creative boom, we see a strict adherence to traditional
forms. Many of the most popular sweets eaten today have been made to the same
recipe and eaten at the same time of year for centuries. Children will eat the
same sweets today as they will eat decades from now. Wagashi are a living connection
with traditional culture.
Many wagashi are associated with a particular festival or time of year such as
kashiwa mochi, a steamed rice cake wrapped in an oak leaf which is eaten around
the time of the Boy's Festival in May. The renowned Toraya company is careful
to stop producing it's sakura mochi (cherry blossom rice cakes) the day before
the petals drop to save anyone making the connection between their sweets and
the fallen leaves littering the ground. With the whole nation enjoying particular
sweets at the same time every year, they have come to be a kind of cultural glue.
Good wagashi are a harmonious blend of aroma, flavour and texture, and not only
that, the shape, colour and presentation should evoke the natural beauty of the
season. Even the name should be pleasant to the ear, conjuring up images of the
time of year, Japanese history and personal memories from years past. With all
these associations, it is clear to see that wagashi are more to Japan and the
Japanese than simply something nice to eat. |
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