Wagashi
Wagashi is the Japanese confection in which the Japanese aesthetics form into a perfection. Wagashi is often enjoyed with ocha, Japanese green tea.
There are many kind of wagashi, some of them have fruit taste and some of them are rice crackers. More important than a taste, is the visual beauty of this Japanese confection.
The different themes of wagashi could be the animals, plants and the very essence of nature. Many represent season. One famous wagashi represents the first snow on the mount fuji on autumn. Some wagashi are inspired by famoust haikuist's poems.
Wagashi are often served in tea ceremony with the maccha, thick green tea - it's stunning visual aesthetics serve important part of this Japanese skill of appreciating the tea.
I recommend the book "The graphics of Japanese Confection", created by artists Kazuya Takaoka, Mutsuo Takahashi and Hiroshi Yoda. The book is a combination of striking visual aesthetics and poetry. It captures the very essence of Japanese confection. PIE Books: "The graphics of Japanese Confection" at www.piebooks.com
