HYATT REGENCY KYOTO

There are many traditional wagashi shops in Kyoto, the city where this delight developed.

We may have only one word for wagashi, but there actually are several kinds of this treat. Looking back at the history of wagashi, we can see that there were many foreign influences on its tradition.

In the Nara period (710-784), “Tougashi” (Chinese confectionery) was brought to Japan with Buddhism. This confectionery, produced from grain, was highly valued at that time. In the Muromachi period (1338-1573), the habit of enjoying tea became popular and spread throughout the country. In those days, monks from China are said to have taught people how to make “yokan” (sweet bean jelly) and “manju” (buns stuffed with bean paste). Along with the development of the tea culture, wagashi showed its own unique development, while also incorporating foreign skills. At the end of the Muromachi period, “Nanbangashi” (Western confectionery), such as castella, bolo and conpeito, were brought from Portugal and had a huge impact on the development of wagashi.

In the Edo period, between the time of the third Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu and the fifth Tsunayoshi, Kyoto’s well-established wagashi shops, such as Jou un Nakajima, Kikyo-ya, Beni-ya and Shizuma-ya, moved to Edo (today’s Tokyo) and contributed to the golden days of Kyoto confectionery. Confectionery shops competed with each other in Edo and elsewhere, resulting in the massive development of wagashi manufacturing techniques. This ongoing development established the techniques that are very similar to those used today.

“Jogashi” (excellent confectionery) is one of various types of wagashi, and is considered not only high-class, but also with a unique fineness. Jogashi was developed for tea masters and noble people, and was meant to be served at tea ceremonies. Hence, it is not only beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, but also includes elements that stimulate the other senses. This confectionery’s delicate smell imparts the season of the year and gives the mouth a special tactile sensation. The sound of its name, heard in tea ceremony rooms, is another important element that heightens your senses.

Confectionery chefs carefully produce each piece of jogahsi with a technique that has been inherited through generations. You will get a better idea of the core element of wagashi if you taste it while also feeling the chef’s skills with your five sharpened senses.

References
“The Current Situations of Something Very Kyoto” published by Nozomi Co., Ltd. in 2004