Yoshiko Morinaga
Nisshin Flour Milling Inc.
When you visit Japan, you will see an amazing variety of sweets across the country. Among them, the old traditional sweets are called ‘Wagashi’ and it is Japanese culture to enjoy them along with Japanese green tea.
Features of Wagashi are: (1) Healthy; (2) Enjoyment with the five senses; and (3) Closely intertwined with the seasons and special occasions.
(1) Wagashi is made of rice, flour, sweet potatoes, beans, walnuts, sugar, seaweed, etc., i.e., generally vegetable ingredients, so that it is cholesterol-free and has relatively less fat. Among these ingredients, red beans are especially nutritious, with high protein, dietary fiber and anti-oxidants.
(2) Wagashi are designed to be pleasing to all five senses – Sight (appearance); Taste (flavor); Smell (aroma); Sound (name); and Touch (texture).
(3) The four seasons of Japan are reflected in Wagashi, having different varieties for each season. In addition, people use different sweets to commemorate specific milestones in life, such as celebrating a marriage and children’s health and wishing for longevity.
The history of sweets in Japan began in the early 8th century from China. In the 15th century, the tea ceremony became popular among nobles and the Samurai. Wagashi, such as sweet bean paste, received prominence soon thereafter. In the mid-16th century, trade with Spain and Portugal began. Their sweets, such as sponge cake and biscuits, are said to have been the beginning of Japanese Western sweets. In late 19th century, Japan received more Western influence from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, etc., and new ingredients and skills of manufacturing in the world of sweets were introduced. Currently, full-fledged French pastries, American sweets, and a wide variety of other sweets are spreading rapidly. Today, Japan also has some unique Japanese sweets, such as strawberry short cake, which has become a symbol of a decoration cake and “cute sweets” designed with cartoon characters.
In recent years, the Japanese confectionery market has steadily expanded; in particular, the sales channels of convenience stores (CVS), department stores, and airport stores have increased. The sweets market at CVS has shown a market expansion rate of about 25 percent in the past five years. Each CVS company focuses on ‘great quality similar to pastry shops’, ‘affordable price’, ‘ease of eating’, and ‘perfect pairing with coffee’.
Japan is a rapidly ageing society, so the future of sweets will grow to satisfy the health-oriented options for the people. In addition, the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is a good opportunity to showcase to the world the uniqueness of Japanese sweets culture.
(Presented in the 2016 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Sweet Culture and the Joy of Life, 17-18 August 2016, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies and Indian Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University)