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As
part of our life, traditional Japanese confectionary
has been playing a significant role in celebrating
birthdays, longevity, important seasonal events
for a long time.
What do you associate Western confectionary with?
Just as you enjoy chocolate cake, apple pies, Japan
features our own kind of confectionary called, "wagashi,"
based on rice, sugar and red beans. Originating
from nuts and fruit, Japanese sweets have become
sophisticated over time in tandem with the country's
cultural development. |
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Particularly intertwined
with the sophistication of sweets is sado,
a ritualized formal tea ceremony to entertain guests
by serving tea. As the ruling Maeda family showed
great enthusiasm for the ceremony, Kanazawa is still
renowned as a city that produces quality confectionary. |
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The
shape of each Japanese confection features a seasonal
theme including cherry blossoms in spring, autumn
leaves in fall and snow in winter. The beautiful
landscapes of the four seasons are expressed in
abstract manners. In addition, each confection has
its own inscription that originates from haiku
poems, history and the beauty of nature, which enables
it to speak of a story as well as the seasonal scene.
You will be fascinated by the expressive world of
Japanese confections, appreciating the comprehensive
elements of their colors, shapes, textures and smells. |
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Kawamura |
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Amanatto
(sugared beans) is a kind of Japanese confectionary
made by preserving the materials in sugar liquid
Located in Nishi-chayagai, where it is renowned
for geisha entertainers, it is a long-established
shop that has lasted for over 100 years. The shop
features lattice windows with curtains with vertical
slits in front of the property. As there is no signboard,
it is very difficult to identify the location of
the shop; many customers miss it in fact. Kawamura's
sweets are loved by discriminating regular customers
including geisha entertainers. If you are a sweet
enthusiast, it is really worth a try. |
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