Today, July 7th, is known in Japan as Tanabata 七夕, or Star Festival (Qixi Festival in China). According to legend, this is the one day…

Beautiful with rice bran The Bijin Nuka brand was born in Kobe in 1894. Nuka 糠 or ぬか, means rice bran, and the bijin 美人…

Rilakkuma and his chicken friend Kiiroitori are no strangers to wagashi traditional Japanese sweets. The Tabemasu series exclusively available at Lawson convenience stores in Japan…

Amabie is popular these days in Japan, and understandably so. Rediscovered just over a month ago in the Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive (see…

Spend a little time living anywhere in Japan, and you will at some point be greeted by the Japanese tradition of gift giving, otherwise known…

Funabashiya 船橋屋 is a venerable establishment with 214 years of history in Tokyo. They are most famous for a jelly-like dessert called kuzumochi 葛餅, a…

Creative company Konel Inc. has announced they will be participating in the futuristic Open Meals project with a new twist on traditional Japanese sweets called…

Oshōgatsu is coming, Oshōgatsu is coming! What’s that, you ask? It’s the Japanese word for New Year’s, and a special time for Japanese families to…

Kyoto is famous for a confectionery known as yatsuhashi 八ッ橋, made from glutinous rice flour (jōshinko 上新粉), sugar and other flavorings. Baked yatsuhashi, shaped in…

Bandai’s Tabe-Masu wagashi series If you’re looking for something sweet at your local convenience store when you visit Japan, Bandai’s “Tabe-Masu” traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi)…

If you love matcha and you happen to have travel plans in any of the four prefectures of Shikoku Island, you may want to make…

As Father’s Day approaches, companies in Japan have been releasing celebratory gifts, including a lineup of Studio Ghibli anime-inspired presents. Now Aichi-prefectured based confectionary maker…

Many traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi) are lauded not only for their exquisite taste, but also their intricate and beautiful designs as well. As recently seen…

What is Kakigōri Kakigōri shaved ice is a must-have summer treat in Japan. Softer and fluffier than American snow cones, with a consistency of freshly…

Morinoen is the best shop for Hojicha Nestled within the Ningyocho neighborhood of Tokyo, an area which has retained a strong feeling of the Edo…