Exploring Japan - Making Japanese Sweets (Wagashi) in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture
Today I wanted to showcase imagery from a recent sweet making course that I took part in while in Japan. My friend invited me along to this small shop called Midori-en in the city of Itami in Hyogo Prefecture. To be quite honest I thought this area was still part of Osaka but it turns out it's just outside and is situated quite close to Nishinomiya. The different areas get complicated at times! Saying that I would say it's still pretty accessible from both Osaka and Kobe if you're thinking of visiting.
A short walk from Itami Station is this beautiful quaint shop that features traditional tatami with a tearoom, there's also a nice space in which they teach how to make Japanese sweets, known as 'Wagashi' in Japanese, to a select group of people. After the lesson you're able to experience the tea ceremony and are made some matcha green tea by the trained practitioner of 'sadou' (the tea ceremony).
The sweets were really interesting for me to make by hand. Although I've tasted them before I haven't thought about the ingredients before, so using the red bean paste to make these small sweets felt very unusual in terms of the texture in the hand. I'm used to making pottery using clay but I'm certainly no good at making these sweets! I definitely need some more practice. haha
This is a course taught in Japanese only but they are quite used to having foreigners come along to the shop itself so I'm sure you would be fine if you took a course here. Here is a glimpse inside the shop and some pictures of the tea room. I wasn't able to take pictures while I was making the sweets as my hands were in a bit of a state, but I did try my best! haha Enjoy.
More from my Travels:
Exploring Japan - A Visit to the Kyoto Concert Hall
Exploring Japan - A Walk Through Toji Market in Kyoto
Exploring Japan - Tadao Ando's Garden of Fine Arts in Kyoto
Exploring Japan - A Visit to Kyoto Botanical Gardens
Exploring Japan - Yuzuruha Shrine in Kobe
Exploring Japan - A Visit to Kosetsu Museum of Art Garden
Exploring Darwin - A Trip to Crocodylus Park
All photos captured by Mark Robinson.
Please follow me @oen for more interesting art, design and travel content
Wow that's ethical japanese style of cooking
Wagashi... The traditional sweets of Japan. I watched Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salary Man on Netflix. One episode was all about wagashi. It was so cool (and hilarious)!
I've never heard of that but would really like to watch it. I will check it out :) Thanks for recommending and commenting.
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That must have been such an interesting and fun course, thanks for sharing
That must have been such
An interesting and fun
Course, thanks for sharing
- tattoodjay
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
Thanks! Really appreciate your comment :)
Aside form the food, your interiors are so much different than ours in Europe. Completely amazed.