The World of Natural Colorings That Add Color to Wagashi
The beauty of wagashi lies in its delicate coloring.
The pink of spring's sakura-mochi, the cool blue of summer's water confections, the golden hue of autumn's kuri-kinton—these colors are created by natural colorings. As concerns about synthetic colorings rise, naturally derived colorings have become an indispensable material for wagashi artisans.
Natural colorings are extracted from plants and microorganisms that exist in nature, such as gardenia, red yeast rice, matcha, and purple sweet potato. Each has its own distinctive coloring characteristics, and depending on how they are used, they can give wagashi rich, expressive results. However, they are more difficult to handle than synthetic colorings, with the characteristic of being easily affected by pH, temperature, and light.
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Types and Characteristics of Natural Colorings by Color
The natural colorings used in wagashi have different raw materials and characteristics for each color.
Yellow Colorings: Gardenia Yellow
The yellow pigment extracted from gardenia fruit has long been used as a coloring for wagashi. It is suited to neutral to alkaline foods such as kuri-kinton, hiyashi-chuka noodles, and wagashi. It has high stability against heat and light, and can retain a vivid yellow for a long time.
Gardenia yellow is a carotenoid pigment with crocin as its main component, and is characterized by being water-soluble and easy to handle. As a guideline, use about 0.1 to 0.3g per 100g of batter. Because it colors well even in small amounts, care is needed not to add too much.
Blue Colorings: Gardenia Blue and Spirulina Pigment
The representative blue natural colorings are gardenia blue and spirulina pigment. Gardenia blue exhibits a blue with a slightly yellowish tint and is characterized by high stability against heat and light. However, it can aggregate under acidic conditions, so pH management is important.
Spirulina pigment is a bright blue pigment extracted from single-celled algae. It is almost unaffected by pH and can be used in a wide range of foods. It is suitable for diverse applications, including wagashi and Western confectionery, bread making, and candy.
Attracting attention in recent years is butterfly pea flower pigment. It is an anthocyanin pigment with the characteristic of changing from reddish-purple to blue-green depending on pH. It shows reddish-purple under acidic conditions, blue under weakly acidic conditions, and blue-green under neutral to alkaline conditions, so you can enjoy watching the color change simply by adding lemon juice.
Source Prepared from Rokko Biological Science Institute Co., Ltd., "Natural Blue Pigment"(November 2021)
Red Colorings: Red Yeast Rice Pigment and Cochineal Pigment
Widely used as a red natural coloring is red yeast rice (beni-koji) pigment. Extracted from a red koji cultured in-house, it has excellent dyeing affinity for proteins. It is used in crab-flavored kamaboko, dried shrimp, strawberry jam, soy sauce-based sauces, and more. It is stable against heat but can fade with light, so care is needed with storage methods.
Cochineal pigment is a pigment that exhibits a bright, vivid pink. Dissolving a powdered pigment product containing a stabilizer in boiling water before use increases both vividness and stability. It is used in wagashi, bread, ham, and more.
Green Colorings: Matcha and Gardenia Green Formulations
For green coloring, matcha is the most commonly used. Because matcha can impart flavor at the same time as color, not just serve as a coloring, it pairs superbly with wagashi. However, it fades easily due to heat and light, so care is needed with storage.
Green formulations that mix gardenia yellow or safflower yellow into gardenia blue are also used. You can choose the product according to the desired shade, and they are characterized by high stability as well.
Source Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., "Rikecolor® Series of Pigment Products"adapted from
Tips for Bringing Out the Fullest Coloring from Natural Colorings
The coloring of natural colorings is greatly affected by several factors.
Changes in Shade Due to pH
Anthocyanin pigments change color significantly depending on pH. They tend to be more red under acidic conditions and more blue under alkaline conditions. For example, butterfly pea flower pigment shows reddish-purple under acidic conditions, blue under neutral conditions, and blue-green under alkaline conditions.
By understanding this characteristic, you can produce the intended color. Adding lemon juice or citric acid to make it acidic strengthens the redness, while adding baking soda to make it alkaline strengthens the blueness.
The Importance of Temperature Management
Many natural colorings have the property of being sensitive to high temperatures. Anthocyanin pigments in particular fade easily with heating, so it is important to keep heating to as low a temperature and as short a time as possible.
When using them in baked confections, you can prevent color degradation by keeping the baking temperature to around 150 to 170°C and keeping the baking time to a minimum. In the case of steamed confections, coloring after steaming allows you to retain more vivid colors.
Measures Against Fading Due to Light
Many natural colorings have the property of being sensitive to light. Ultraviolet light in particular accelerates the breakdown of pigments, so using light-shielding containers is recommended for storage.
When displaying products in stores as well, avoiding direct sunlight and placing them in as cool a location as possible helps minimize color degradation. For products that can be refrigerated, display in a refrigerated showcase is ideal.
Guidelines for Usage Amounts and How to Adjust Them
The amount of natural coloring to use is adjusted according to the depth of color you want.
Basic Blending Ratios
As general blending ratios, the following amounts per 100g of batter serve as guidelines. Gardenia yellow: 0.1 to 0.3g; gardenia blue: 0.05 to 0.2g; red yeast rice pigment: around 0.2 to 0.5g. However, these are only guidelines, and adjustment is needed depending on the concentration of the pigment and the depth of color you want.
For a pigment you are using for the first time, we recommend starting with a small amount and gradually increasing it. If you add a large amount at once, the color becomes too deep and difficult to adjust.
Techniques for Adjusting Color Depth
When you want a pale color, dilute the pigment with water or syrup before using it. When you want a deep color, mix the pigment directly into the batter, but be careful, as mixing too much can change the texture of the batter.
By combining multiple pigments, you can also express subtle shades. For example, mixing gardenia yellow and gardenia blue lets you create a gradation of green. By varying the blending ratio, you can express a wide range of shades from yellow-green to blue-green.
Key Points for Seasonal Adjustment
The coloring of pigments can change depending on temperature and humidity. In summer, high heat and humidity make pigments prone to degradation, while in winter, dryness makes powdered pigments prone to clumping.
Changing your storage methods according to the season is also important. In summer, be thorough with refrigerated storage, and in winter, store in airtight containers with a desiccant to maintain pigment quality.
Key Points for Storage and Quality Management
Natural colorings can be used over a long period by following proper storage methods.
How to Store the Powder Type
The basic rule for powdered natural colorings is to store them away from moisture and light. Place them in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dark place. After opening, it is important to minimize the time they are exposed to air and to close the lid immediately after use.
Including a desiccant helps prevent clumping caused by moisture. Especially during the rainy season and in summer, refrigerated storage is also worth considering. However, since condensation forms easily right after taking them out of the refrigerator, it is important to let them return to room temperature before opening.
How to Store the Liquid Type
The basic rule for liquid colorings is refrigerated storage. After opening, it is recommended to use them up within 1 to 2 months. Before use, it is important to shake them lightly to mix any sediment evenly.
Because liquid types carry a risk of microbial growth, use a clean spoon or measuring cup and avoid putting your mouth directly on the container. Also, after use, wipe the mouth of the container with a clean cloth and close the lid firmly to prevent quality degradation.
How to Check Quality
Regularly checking the state of your pigments is also important. For the powder type, check whether it has clumped, discolored, or developed an off odor. For the liquid type, check the state of any sediment, changes in color, and the presence of cloudiness.
If you have doubts about the quality, try dissolving a small amount in water to check the coloring. If it produces an unusual color or has become difficult to dissolve, we recommend refraining from using it.
The Natural Coloring Know-How Practiced by Professionals
Here we introduce practical techniques that wagashi artisans have cultivated over years of experience.
Broaden Your Range of Expression by Combining Colors
Rather than using single colors alone, combining multiple pigments makes richer expression possible. For example, the pale pink of sakura-mochi can be expressed as a more natural cherry-blossom pink by adding a small amount of gardenia yellow to red yeast rice pigment.
When creating a gradation, prepare pigment liquids of different concentrations and mix them in stages to achieve a smooth change of color. This technique is especially effective for high-end wagashi such as nerikiri and yokan.
Using Color to Evoke the Seasons
One of the charms of wagashi is the expression of the seasons. Color use suited to each season is important—the pink of cherry blossoms and yellow-green of fresh foliage in spring, cool blue and white in summer, the red of autumn leaves and yellow of chestnuts in autumn, and the white of snow and yellow of yuzu in winter.
Using natural colorings lets you express more natural, deeper shades, delicately capturing the transitions of the seasons. The subtle color nuances that synthetic colorings cannot produce elevate the elegance of wagashi.
Points to note to avoid failure
The greatest point of caution when using natural colorings is not to add too much. Because they color more gently than synthetic colorings, it's easy to end up adding too much, but keeping to the right amount yields a beautiful finish.
Also, keep in mind that how the color appears changes depending on the type of batter. White an-based batter tends to bring out vivid colors, while adzuki an-based batter tends to make colors appear muted. It is important to adjust the amount of pigment with an understanding of the batter's characteristics.
Summary: Bring Out the Appeal of Wagashi with Natural Colorings
Natural colorings are an important material that gives wagashi natural beauty and depth.
Gardenia, red yeast rice, matcha, purple sweet potato, and other pigments each have their own characteristics, and by understanding how to use them appropriately, the expressive power of wagashi expands greatly. By considering the effects of pH, temperature, and light and following proper storage methods, you can maintain stable quality over a long period.
Unlike synthetic colorings, natural colorings take a bit more effort to handle, but their greatest appeal is that they let you express natural, gentle shades. Precisely because wagashi values a sense of the seasons, using naturally derived pigments allows you to create a deeper flavor and greater elegance.
At Minoyo, we offer a wide range of high-quality natural colorings needed for wagashi production. From paste types such as Neri Hon-beni, Neri Ki-iro, Neri Ao-iro, and Neri Hiki-cha-iro, to powder types such as Red No. 3, Ouka-beni, Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 4, Shin Azuki-iro, Hiki-cha-iro, Tokusei Kusa-ao-iro, Tokusei Chocolate-iro, andBamboo Charcoal Powder,we have prepared an abundant lineup to choose from according to your application.
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