Christmas is just around the corner…. I feel how fast the days have flown by. Today I would like to share how my life has changed since starting to learn about Nerikiri Wagashi.

1. I’ve been enjoying Japanese traditional events and celebrations overseas.
2. I’ve had more opportunities to talk to my children about Japan and Japanese culture.
3. I’ve found a way to express fun memories in Nerikiri Wagashi designs.
4. Nerikiri Wagashi gives me a chance to meet new friends.
5. There are many opportunities to teach Nerikiri Wagashi, which I never expected that I would be doing when I first started learning about Nerikiri Wagashi.

I would say… it is a little tricky to find Japanese ingredients, especially for making Japanese traditional food, while overseas. Of course, there are many ways to celebrate festivals, so, I’m not saying that you can’t celebrate them at all.

This picture was taken right before the Philippines implemented strict covid restrictions. We were celebrating one of Japan’s traditional Japanese events called “Hinamatsuri”, Girl’s (Doll’s) Day. We made a Nerikiri Wagashi, called “Hichirigi“, which is a famous Wagashi in Kyoto, Japan during this celebration.

I told my daughters about the origin of how Hichigiri was made in the old days, which I learned from Wikipedia, hehe Also we talked about visiting Kyoto someday!

In the picture below, I made these Nerikiri Wagashi while in the US. This was my first attempt at making Wagashi in the shape of an Iris flower.

Every May 5th in Japan, people celebrate “Kodomo no hi”, Children’s Day. This traditional event is to wish all children good health and growth, and also to be respected and honored in their individual strength and happiness.

During the event, Iris flowers are decorated in the home because the smell of the flower is thought to scare evil away from children. Also you will see many carp streamers put up all over Japan during this celebration.

My Nerikiri Wagashi above after many tries…

As we enjoyed these Nerikiri Wagashi, I told my children about how people in Japan decorate the Iris flowers and also put them in a hot bath. This custom is done so that children won’t get sick and continue to have good health and be strong.

I love the autumn season in the US. The picture below is when we went to a pumpkin patch with my family!

I made the Nerikiri Wagashi below to express my fun memory of visiting the pumpkin farm.

Traditionally, each design of Nerikiri Wagashi has its own name from an old story, history, or haiku. I named my Nerikiri Wagashi as ”Akino kago”, Autumn basket.

One of my friends who lives in Kyoto, Japan posted a beautiful picture of a Gingko leaf that had a drop of dew after rain. I made my Nerikiri Wagashi by thinking about her and sent a picture of it, asking how she was doing these days.

I sometimes feel so tired of living overseas for a long time, but after being able to make Nerikiri Wagashi myself while overseas, it has given me the energy to move forward, especially when I can express my little happiness into a small piece of Wagashi, it gives me appreciation for how fortunate I am to have such a life.

This is a picture is when we visited a cosmos field with my mom. I made these Nerikiri Wagashi below by thinking about my mom.

The picture below is Nerikiri Wagashi that I made for celebrating “Hinamatsuri”, Girl’s Day in the US. The design below represents an empress.

The next ones are in the shape of Sakura, cherry blossom.

I feel so grateful when my friend enjoyed Girl’s day and celebrated with her daughter with my sweets while they are overseas.

My daughters have been living overseas most of their lives except when we moved to Japan for eight months during covid. My husband had to go back to the Philippines for work after he helped us to settle down in Japan. It was a big decision to live separately…

（This is a picture of when we arrived in Tokyo from the Philippines, right before moving to our 2-week quarantine house.)

Whenever we move to different county, I want to remember Japan. And I want to continue telling my children about my home. This has never changed since I had my precious daughters.

My daughter tried my Nerikiri Wagashi that represents a sea bream called “Tai”. I made this one with my Nerikiri sweet paste that I carefully packed with a lot of ice packs in my suitcase when we left the Philippines. My daughter learned a new Japanese word “Mede Tai” meaning auspicious. It’s a play on words, because omedetai means “congratulations.

I took a Nerikiri wagashi making course from HALE_WORKS even during our quarantine in Japan.

We made Nerikiri Wagashi in the shape of a tangerine after observing a real one.

We enjoyed the Nerikiri Wagashi in the backyard of our quarantine Airbnb.

I learned how to make these beautiful designs of Nerikiri Wagashi by Hiromi-sensei as well.

I think Nerikiri Wagashi became an indispensable way for me to deeply connect with my family and Japan wherever we will be.

The picture below is when I brought my Wagashi to my daughter’s school bazaar. This was the first event that I participated in Shenyang, and I was able to meet and talk with many Japanese families who stopped by the booth.

(At my daughter’s school bazaar.)

（I got inspiration from these fallen leaves that my daughter brought home from school.）

I hardly knew anyone when I moved to Shenyang, but Nerikiri Wagashi helped me to connect with many people and we became new friends.

Nerikiri Wagashi gave me to chance to grow…☆彡

I had an opportunity to have a booth to present about Wagashi, Japanese traditional sweets, at Japanfest held at George Washington University in the US.

I participated in the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival, which is the largest Japanese festival in the United States. I presented about the history of Wagashi and demonstrated how to make 3 different designs of spring-themed Nerikiri Wagashi on the stage.

（At the US capitol. ）

When I temporally returned to Japan from the US during summer vacation, I had another great opportunity to hold my Nerikiri Wagashi-making workshop.

My original Nerikiri Wagashi: “Towards a colorful future” and “Picking Green Tea Leaf”

The workshop was held at @maruya_sabou in Yame, Fukuoka. There were students from irodori Study Lab.

After the workshop, I had a chance to visit Kikuya(@kikuya_yame), the only traditional Japanese sweets store in Yame, Fukuoka. All of Kikuya’s Wagashi are carefully handcrafted, beautiful, and delicious.

Summer-themed Nerikiri Wagashi-Making at a local preschool.

We had a tea ceremony after the workshop. The students enjoyed Nerikiri Wagashi that they made with delicious tea.

This is a picture of me receiving a thank you letter and gift from the preschool students.

After being given many opportunities to share my passion to many people, I’ve started thinking more strongly that I want to learn more about Nerikiri Wagashi and Japan…

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If you are planning to move to a new place or country, and you are nervous about making friends, what you can do to help adjust to a new environment is exploring your interests.

I hope you take the chance to start learning about something you have been interested in or would love to learn about. It might take you to a world that you never expected…

For me… I will continue learning about Nerikiri Wagashi from overseas.

Thank you for reading my blog.

※It is -15 degrees in Shenyang today！