I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend! Today I would like to share designs that my daughters created for their Nerikiri Wagashi. But before going to that, I want to show you some Wagashi that I made recently.
The first picture is called “Kashiwa mochi,” which is eaten during Kodomo no hi, Children’s Day on May 5th in Japan. It has mochi filled with sweet bean paste and covered by an Oak leaf. In the next picture below you can see Wagashi in the shape of fish, they are called “Waka-ayu”. Ayu, commonly known as sweetfish, is in season early summer in Japan. This wagashi is a representation of Ayu and feeling the start of the summer season. The Waka-ayu is filled with Gyuhi, soft mochi!
I especially had wanted to make Kashiwa mochi for my daughters to celebrate the Childrens’ Day together. But I was in Shangahai during the week so I finally could make this Wagashi for them last week!
Ok, so I have been thinking about my original design of Nerikiri Wagashi for a while now. I’ve been trying to find some good time for being creative. But my daughters were watching me thinking about the designs of Wagashi, and they asked me to join their table and continue thinking about my ideas. My daughters were playing with playdough and making sushi, onigiri, and melon pan etc.
My daughter was saying “I love playdough!.”
The pictures above are my youngest’s creations. Starting from the left, Salmon sushi, Melon Pan, Egg sushi, udon noodle, cherry tomato, grapes, strawberry, banana, and carrot.
My oldest made her own room with the playdaugh and a melon pan corner as well.
Soon after I joined their table, they asked me if they also could try creating their Nerikiri Wagashi desings. I said “Of course! Of course!” And they started drawing their own Nerikiri designs very quickly.
This is my oldest’s Nerikiri design.
Here is her idea:
“This is a water wall, the color is blue, the circles on here, they are bubbles from the water wall. It is shiny. Maybe make them with some jello, or I like silver color too. This part is green because it is outside.”
This is my youngest’s Nerikiri Wagashi design.
“There is a lot of snow in winter, but I like playing with it. This is a flower. Pink and yellow, after a cold winter, I saw a flower.”
Yes… winter in shenyang was so cold… But I was glad to know that she also enjoyed the winter playing with the snow and her friends. What a talent they have! And at the same time I wondered why it is taking me so long to think about my own Nerikiri designs, haha.
I told them that they are artists! I hope they can help me think about my designs too, hehe. We talked how next time we should try making their own designs together with actual Nerikiri sweet dough.
Nerikiri Wagashi are Japanese sweets that contain a moment of joy, scenery from your memories, and a feeling you want to express to someone you want to gift your sweet. Nerikiri Wagashi is small in size, but I think it has a power to deliver the feelings you want to tell to people. I hope my children continue making Wagashi wherever they go. I was so excited just thinking about it.
sachiwagashi.com 
