Japan History and Culture

Candy apple  or Ringoame

Candy apples, also known as toffee or jelly     apples (about 5 cm in diameter) are whole apples covered in a hard sugar syrup coated with hot red thick syrup gravy, usually tinted red and sometimes flavoured with cinnamon. The sugar syrup is heated to the “hard crack” stage before coating the apple to make a hard coating when the syrup cools. Other variations include caramel or toffee apples, and chocolate apples.

Thousand-year candy (chitoseame,千歳飴)

Chitoseame means “thousand-year candy,” is given to children on “Seven-Five-Three” Festival (Shichi-Go-San ).

Chitoseame is shaped like a long thin stick of red and white wheat gluten, which comes in a long white paper bag decorated with symbols of longevity and ensures healthy growth such as pine, bamboo, plums, cranes, and tortoises. Chitoseame and the bag are both expressions of parents’ wish that their children lead long, prosperous lives.

admin on August 26th, 2008 | File Under Japanese Culture | No Comments -

The History of Wagashi
The origin of Wagashi dates back to the Yayoi Era (B.C.300-A.C.300), when it was no more than natural fruit, berries, and nuts. “Wagashi” was greatly influenced by the grain processing skills that were introduced from China along with the Buddhist culture during the Nara Era (A.C.710-784), and people started to make Mochi and Dango (different forms of rice cakes). However, these were mainly used for religious purposes and were too exclusive for the average person. The basic forms of most Wagashi we see today come from that era.

Japanese confectioneries made remarkable strides during the late Muromachi Era （A.C.1336-1573) when Japan was exposed to foreign trade. Trade with Portugal and Spain brought new recipes and ingredients, which profoundly influenced “Wagashi” making. The introduction of sugar revolutionized the formula for sweetness, which until then had largely depended on the natural flavor of the ingredients, and spurred further development.

By the time the art of Wagashi-making had matured during the early Edo Period (A.C.1603-1867), the “Wagashi” trade was experiencing great competition and development in Kyoto, Edo, and other regions. Average people were enjoying them as well. The excellent Wagashis developed during this period are practically identical to the ones we see today Its usage diversified also, as they started to appear in tea ceremonies, afternoon snacks, and gifts.

During the Meiji Era （A.C.1868～1912）, Western cakes and desserts entered Japan and greatly influenced the development of “Wagashi.” The word “Wagashi” was coined during the last part of the Taisho Era (A.C.1912～1926) in order to differentiate Japanese confectioneries from Western ones. Although Wagashis have been influenced by foreign cultures throughout the centuries, they have always been refined by the Japanese sense of art. Wagashis will continue to be an integral part of the Japanese culture that grows as new skills come along.