Wagashi: Make Nerikiri & Mochi and Enjoy Matcha in Tokyo
Learn to make fruit daifuku, hanami dango, and nerikiri wagashi sweets with a certified instructor in Tokyo! Enjoy your sweet creations with a frothy bowl of matcha tea made by you.
Highlights
Make fruit daifuku mochi, hanami dango skewers, and seasonal nerikiri wagashi and enjoy them with a bowl of matcha.
Naturally gluten-free and vegan! Ingredients mainly consist of sweet bean paste, sugar, water and mochi flour made with plant-based ingredients.
Satoko, your English-speaking host, is an experienced wagashi maker certified by the Japanese Wagashi Promotion Association.
Take home Satoko’s special recipes! She will provide you with a QR code to download her recipes in English.
Explore a non-touristy area of Tokyo: Kitaminemachi in Ota Ward! Your host will recommend where to go in this charming residential neighborhood packed with hidden shrines and local shops.
10 meals
+Experience Details
In this comprehensive lesson, you’ll learn to make three types of Japanese wagashi sweets and unveil the secrets to a perfect bowl of matcha.
Wagashi sweets you'll make in this class:
-Fruit daifuku: a juicy fruit wrapped in a soft mochi dough, this smooth treat is one of Japan's staples! You will use either strawberry, pineapple, kiwi or other fruits depending on seasonality.
-Three-color dango: also known as hanami dango, this photogenic snack consists of three colorful mochi balls on a skewer.
-Nerikiri wagashi: a sweet bean paste and mochi confectionery, you'll shape dough into a beautiful seasonal motif to create a delicate nerikiri.
Your wagashi will be naturally gluten-free, vegan, and not overly sweet, consisting of only a few ingredients: sweet bean paste, water, mochi flour, and sugar. Despite its simplicity, achieving a soft and smooth wagashi is no easy task, so your expert host will assist you every step of the way. Then, you will enjoy your sweets with a cup of matcha expertly prepared by you (with help from your instructor)!
Flow of the experience:
-Introduction and overview of the cultural significance of mochi
-Learn how to make mochi, and prepare fruit daifuku mochi and hanami dango skewers
-Shape dough to create two pieces of seasonal nerikiri wagashi
-Time to take photos of your creations
-Enjoy your handmade sweets with matcha tea, or take your sweets to go
Your host, Satoko, is a bilingual instructor in Japanese and English based in Tokyo. With nearly 25 years of international experience and a passion for diverse cuisines, Satoko opened her wagashi-making school to share authentic Japanese sweets and their culture. She is a certified food sanitation supervisor by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and an instructor from the Wanaha Artfood Association and the Wagashi Promotion Association Japan. Satoko is committed to providing high-quality wagashi-making classes.
Inclusions
Fruit daifuku mochi (2 pieces), hanami dango (2 skewers), seasonal nerikiri wagashi (2 pieces).
A bowl of matcha green tea and additional drinks of your choice: mineral water, green tea, roasted green tea, or coffee.
Downloadable recipes and tutorials in English.
Ingredients and utensils, including towels and aprons.
Exclusions
Transportation to and from the venue
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
Please come directly to the instructor's house, located about 8 minutes on foot from Ontakesan Sta. (Tokyu Ikegami Line). A Google Maps link will be provided upon booking.
Remarks
The nerikiri wagashi motif changes depending on the season. When strawberries are not in season, daifuku will be made with pineapple, kiwi or other fruits.
Children joining this experience must be 5 years or older
Please note that the host has two cats which will be locked in a room during the lesson
This is a group lesson; please select the private option upon booking if preferred
Smoking is not allowed in or around the venue
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 2 days before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
Over 14 million residents call Tokyo home. Functioning as Japan's economic and cultural center, it's no surprise the metropolis often appears at the top of travelers' bucket lists. Here, you can find everything from traditional tea houses to futuristic skyscrapers.
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10 meals
+Make colorful Japanese wagashi at a hands-on confectionary class in Tokyo (Kitaminemachi). Join Satoko, an instructor from the Wagashi Promotion Association of Japan, to make seasonal nerikiri to enjoy with freshly made matcha tea.
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