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Spring\u2014when cherry blossoms bloom and fresh greenery buds. There are wagashi ingredients you can enjoy precisely because of this season. Cherry leaves, cherry blossoms, mugwort, strawberries, and other spring-only materials bring vibrant color and fragrance to wagashi.<\/p>\n
Wagashi is a traditional culture that evokes Japan's four seasons, expressing a food culture rooted in each season. In making spring wagashi, drawing on seasonal materials lets you convey a spring feel in both appearance and taste.<\/p>\n
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This article thoroughly explains practical information\u2014from the spring raw-material selection that professional wagashi artisans practice, to storage methods and formulation tips.<\/p>\n
The cherry leaf, essential to sakura mochi, is an important material that adds a distinctive aroma and flavor to wagashi.<\/p>\n
Cherry leaves are used in both the Kanto-style sakura mochi \"Chomeiji\" and the Kansai-style \"Domyoji.\" The salt-pickled leaf brings out the sweetness of the an, and you can enjoy the gorgeous aroma of cherry blossom.<\/p>\n
Main types of cherry leaf<\/strong><\/p>\n The point when choosing is to select leaves with even color, no tears, and a good salt-pickling condition. Before use, desalt them in water to draw out the cherry blossom aroma.<\/p>\n Salt-pickled cherry blossoms are a traditional wagashi material essential as decoration for spring fresh confections and sakura mochi. Minoyo offers them in a 1kg\u00d710 specification, ensuring sufficient quantity for commercial use.<\/p>\n Desalting in water revives the beautiful pink color and delicate aroma of the cherry blossom petals. They can be used not only as a topping for sakura mochi but also to decorate nerikiri and yokan.<\/p>\n Sakura an is a spring-like an made by mixing cherry blossom or cherry-leaf extract into white an. Using top-grade white an such as Minoyo's Toku-Ichigo Sarashi-an or Fujijirushi Sarashi-an results in an elegant finish.<\/p>\n Basic Blending Ratios<\/strong><\/p>\n The color of sakura an is adjusted with natural-derived colorings such as liquid pink (neri hana-beni) and sakura hana-beni (hana-beni). A pale pink conveys a spring feel and finishes into a wagashi that is gorgeous to look at.<\/p>\n Mugwort, which sprouts in spring, is eaten as young shoots that appear around March to May. It is a perennial of the aster family that grows wild in mountains and fields across Japan, bringing wagashi a distinctive flavor and vivid green color.<\/p>\n Long enjoyed as mugwort mochi and kusa dango, it is made by mixing freshly picked mugwort into mochi or dango. It is characterized by the faint bitterness unique to mugwort and the refreshing quality of the grass.<\/p>\n Mugwort is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and is attracting attention as a material that also helps with managing one's health in spring.<\/p>\n It is important to prepare fresh mugwort immediately after picking it.<\/p>\n Basic preparation steps<\/strong><\/p>\n Frozen mugwort can be thawed and used only as needed when making wagashi. Specialty wagashi raw-material suppliers such as Uenotada also offer frozen mugwort materials, which can be used with consistent quality regardless of the season.<\/p>\n Mugwort is a versatile material that can be used in various wagashi.<\/p>\n Representative mugwort wagashi<\/strong><\/p>\n By using Minoyo's original Tomo Series, you can easily make spring-like wagashi just by adding mugwort.<\/p>\n Strawberry, a representative spring fruit, is also being actively incorporated into wagashi.<\/p>\n Strawberry's vivid red color and sweet-tart flavor pair perfectly with white an and gyuhi. Strawberry daifuku, made by wrapping strawberry and white an in gyuhi, has become established as a popular spring wagashi.<\/p>\n Using Minoyo's Toku-Ichigo Sarashi-an or white sarashi-an (each in a 12kg specification) results in an elegant finish that brings out the color and flavor of the strawberry.<\/p>\n Yuzu, which can be enjoyed into early spring, brings a refreshing aroma and acidity to wagashi.<\/p>\n Minoyo's yuzu-related products<\/strong><\/p>\n Yuzu's refreshing aroma adds a cool, clean feel to spring wagashi and becomes an important element that evokes the changing of the seasons.<\/p>\n See Minoyo's Product List Here<\/a><\/p>\n For Momo no Sekku on March 3, gorgeous, spring-like wagashi are called for.<\/p>\n For Hinamatsuri wagashi, a color scheme based on the three colors of pink, white, and green is traditional. These three colors represent peach blossoms, snow, and fresh greenery.<\/p>\n Raw-material composition of three-color wagashi<\/strong><\/p>\n Using Minoyo's top-grade sarashi-an achieves a clean, elegant sweetness free of off-flavors and a smooth mouthfeel.<\/p>\n Hishi mochi is a representative Hinamatsuri wagashi. It is a diamond-shaped three-color mochi, characterized by its auspicious shape and spring-like color scheme.<\/p>\n Based on Minoyo's habutae mochi (2.2kg\u00d76 specification), layer the three colors and cut them into diamond shapes. By appropriately blending salt-pickled cherry blossoms, mugwort, and colorings into each layer, you can reproduce traditional hishi mochi.<\/p>\n By using mix powders such as Mizu Manju Tomo and Kuzu Confectionery Tomo, you can also make modern-style hishi-mochi-style wagashi with transparency.<\/p>\n For Hinamatsuri wagashi, gorgeous appearance is also an important element.<\/p>\n Minoyo's coloring lineup<\/strong><\/p>\n By using natural-derived colorings, you can achieve beautiful colors while also being mindful of safety. Using paste and powder types appropriately makes it possible to express a variety of color tones.<\/p>\n For making transparent spring water confections, high-quality starches are essential.<\/p>\n Genuine warabi starch<\/a>(10kg specification) is a top-grade product made from 100% genuine bracken starch, characterized by a distinctive transparency and springy texture. It is an indispensable raw material for making authentic warabi mochi, is highly rare, and is used at high-end wagashi shops.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, hon-kuzu (kudzu starch) (5kg\u00d74 specification) andZuiichi Hon-kuzu<\/a>(5kg\u00d73 specification) are characterized by a beautiful, transparent finish and a smooth, elegant texture. Used in wagashi such as kuzu mochi and kuzukiri, they are ideal for cool spring wagashi.<\/p>\n For water confections popular from spring into early summer, appropriate starch selection is important.<\/p>\n Choosing starch by purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n By using Minoyo's original Tomo Series, you can simplify wagashi production and achieve consistent quality.<\/p>\n The transparency required of spring wagashi is determined by starch selection and blending technique.<\/p>\n Hon-kuzu and hon-warabi-ko are high in purity and excellent in transparency and elasticity. Because the texture changes greatly depending on the amount of water, heating temperature, and kneading method, experience and skill are required.<\/p>\n Also, by combining starches suited to the purpose, such as lotus starch (20kg specification) and alpha starch (20kg specification), you can create your own distinctive texture and transparency.<\/p>\n It is important to preserve the freshness and quality of spring wagashi raw materials with appropriate storage methods.<\/p>\n Basics of storage methods<\/strong><\/p>\n Because Minoyo's products are offered mainly in commercial large-volume packages (4kg to 25kg), it is important to maintain quality through appropriate storage management.<\/p>\n Freshness is everything for spring materials. In particular, for plant materials such as cherry leaves and mugwort, color and aroma serve as indicators of quality.<\/p>\n Desalting cherry leaves in water before use revives the cherry blossom aroma. Adjust the desalting time according to the condition of the leaves, and it is important to gauge the balance between aroma and saltiness.<\/p>\n By freezing mugwort, you can enjoy its vivid green color and refreshing aroma in seasons other than spring. Natural thawing is the basic approach, and avoiding sudden temperature changes helps preserve quality.<\/p>\n For wagashi shops and confectionery businesses, raw-material inventory management is an important element of operations.<\/p>\n Because many of Minoyo's products come in large-volume specifications such as 12kg, 10kg, and 20kg, planned ordering that takes into account usage frequency and expiration dates is necessary.<\/p>\n For seasonal-product cherry-related raw materials and mugwort, it is important to secure an appropriate quantity in line with the spring demand period. On the other hand, for raw materials used year-round such as sarashi-an and starches, maintaining a stable inventory helps keep quality uniform.<\/p>\n See Minoyo's Product List Here<\/a><\/p>\n Spring wagashi raw materials are abundant in seasonal ingredients such as cherry leaves, cherry blossoms, mugwort, strawberry, and yuzu. By appropriately choosing, storing, and blending these materials, you can make gorgeous, spring-like wagashi.<\/p>\n Minoyo widely offers the raw materials needed for wagashi production across seven categories\u2014from top-grade sarashi-an to seasonal processed fruits, natural leaf materials, and high-quality starches. By offering them in commercial large-volume packages, we meet the needs of professional wagashi artisans.<\/p>\n For wagashi making tied to spring events\u2014such as three-color wagashi and hishi mochi for Momo no Sekku, sakura mochi, and mugwort mochi\u2014appropriate raw-material selection and blending technique are important. By using Minoyo's original Tomo Series, you can simplify wagashi production and achieve consistent quality.<\/p>\n Make the most of spring wagashi raw materials and create beautiful wagashi that evoke the changing of the seasons.<\/p>\n\n \ud83d\udce6 Related Minoyo Products<\/p> Minoyo is a specialty store for Kyoto confectionery raw materials based in Kyoto. For the raw materials covered in this article, we offer proposals close to the realities of wagashi production, including commercial procurement, trial samples, and consultation on lots and specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Minoyo's business and strengths, please see Our Business & Why We Are Chosen<\/a> . For the actual flow of doing business, see Ordering Process & How to Order<\/a>; for questions, we have compiled them at Frequently Asked Questions<\/a> . For individual consultations, please use Contact<\/a> or material download<\/a> to get in touch.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Spring\u2014when cherry blossoms bloom and fresh greenery buds. There are wagashi ingredients you can enjoy precisely because of this season. Cherry leaves, cherry blossoms, mugwort, strawberries, and other spring-only materials bring vibrant color and fragrance to wagashi.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":9322,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"\u685c\u304c\u54b2\u304d\u3001\u65b0\u7dd1\u304c\u82bd\u5439\u304f\u6625\u3002\u3053\u306e\u5b63\u7bc0\u3060\u304b\u3089\u3053\u305d\u697d\u3057\u3081\u308b\u548c\u83d3\u5b50\u539f\u6599\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002\u685c\u8449\u3001\u685c\u82b1\u3001\u3088\u3082\u304e\u3001\u3044\u3061\u3054\u306a\u3069\u3001\u6625\u306a\u3089\u3067\u306f\u306e\u7d20\u6750\u306f\u548c\u83d3\u5b50\u306b\u83ef\u3084\u304b\u306a\u5f69\u308a\u3068\u9999\u308a\u3092\u3082\u305f\u3089\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002"},"blog_category":[365],"blog_tag":[322,351,335,352,336],"class_list":["post-9321","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog_category-seasonal-wagashi","blog_tag-ingredients","blog_tag-ingredient-guide","blog_tag-japanese-sweet","blog_tag-seasonal","blog_tag-event-sweet"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
How to use salt-pickled cherry blossoms<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to make sakura an and formulation tips<\/h3>\n
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\nSpring wagashi raw materials using mugwort (yomogi)<\/h2>\n
The characteristics and nutritional value of mugwort<\/h3>\n
How to store mugwort and prepare it<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nVariations of wagashi using mugwort<\/h3>\n
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\nWagashi raw materials using spring fruits<\/h2>\n
The possibilities of wagashi using strawberry<\/h3>\n
Spring uses of citrus such as yuzu<\/h3>\n
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\nChoosing raw materials for Momo no Sekku wagashi<\/h2>\n
Ideal raw-material combinations for Hinamatsuri<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to make hishi-mochi-style wagashi<\/h3>\n
Devising colors that stand out for Momo no Sekku<\/h3>\n
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\nStarches useful for making spring wagashi<\/h2>\n
Using hon-warabi-ko and kuzu-ko appropriately<\/h3>\n
How to choose the best starch for spring water confections<\/h3>\n
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Blending techniques for achieving transparency<\/h3>\n
\nStorage and quality control of spring wagashi raw materials<\/h2>\n
Appropriate storage methods for seasonal materials<\/h3>\n
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Ways to preserve freshness<\/h3>\n
Points on inventory management of commercial raw materials<\/h3>\n
\nSummary: Product development that makes the most of spring wagashi raw materials<\/h2>\n
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Please feel free to consult us about commercial procurement and sample requests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n