Wagashi Day (Japanese Sweets Day)

What Is Wagashi Day?

Every year on June 16th is "Wagashi Day." It comes from the story of "Kashō" (嘉祥): when an epidemic spread through the country in the Heian period, Emperor Ninmyō changed the era name to "Kashō," and on June 16th of its first year (848) he is said to have offered sweets and mochi associated with the number 16 to the gods, praying to ward off disease and for good health and fortune. The day was established in 1979 by the All Japan Wagashi Association. It's a day to carry on the traditional Japanese food culture of warding off bad luck and inviting good fortune, while enjoying wagashi (Japanese sweets) and the changing of the seasons they represent.

Wagashi Customs Born from "Kashō"

Wagashi developed not merely as treats, but in close connection with prayer and ritual.

• "Kashō Chōdai" at Edo Castle: During the Edo period, the shogunate treated June 16th as "Kashō Day," gathering daimyo and bannermen in the great hall of Edo Castle, where the shogun bestowed sweets on them. It is said that more than 20,000 sweets were prepared.
• A long-lasting custom: The custom of eating "Kashō sweets" on June 16th to ward off misfortune and invite good luck is said to have continued, in changing forms, from the Heian period through the Edo period.
• Wagashi Day: Inspired by these traditions, the All Japan Wagashi Association designated June 16th as Wagashi Day to pass Japan's food culture on to future generations.

A Wagashi for June: "Minazuki"

One well-known June sweet is "Minazuki," eaten mainly in Kyoto.

• Shaped like ice: Its white triangular base of uirō (steamed rice-flour cake) is said to represent ice, which in the past only the imperial court and nobility could enjoy in summer.
• Azuki to ward off bad luck: The red azuki beans on top are said to carry the meaning of driving away misfortune.
• Eaten for Nagoshi no Harae: It is customarily eaten around June 30th, the "Nagoshi no Harae" purification ritual marking the halfway point of the year, to pray for good health for the rest of the year.

Interesting Facts About Wagashi

• A "five-senses art": Wagashi are said to be enjoyed through sight (shape), taste (flavor), smell (aroma), touch (texture), and hearing (the sound of the sweet's poetic name, or "mei").
• Why "anko" keeps well: Bean paste cooked with plenty of sugar binds up its water, making it harder for microbes to grow, so it keeps relatively well.
• Little butter or cream: Wagashi are mostly made from plant-based ingredients such as azuki beans, rice, agar, and kudzu, so many are lower in fat than Western confections.
• The "season" of wagashi: High-end "jō-namagashi," shaped after seasonal flowers and scenes, change with the seasons, and some are sold for only a short time.
• "Jō-gashi" and "zō-gashi": In the Edo period, there were "jō-gashi" (refined sweets used at the imperial court, among the nobility, and in the tea ceremony) and "zō-gashi" (everyday sweets enjoyed by ordinary people). These two traditions together shaped Japan's diverse wagashi culture.

Tips for Spending Wagashi Day

• Choose a seasonal jō-namagashi and savor it slowly with a cup of green tea.
• In the spirit of "Kashō," share some small wagashi with family or colleagues.
• Look into the meaning behind a wagashi's name (mei). Learning its connections to literature and nature changes the way you taste it.
• Try seasonal "Minazuki" ahead of the "Nagoshi no Harae" ritual at the end of June.

A Day to Pause with Wagashi That Capture the Beauty of the Seasons

June 16th honors a story from more than a thousand years ago, when sweets were offered to pray for the end of an epidemic and for good health. The delicate designs of wagashi and the gentle sweetness of azuki remind us of the changing seasons we tend to overlook in our busy lives. Today, why not pause for a moment and enjoy a seasonal wagashi with a cup of tea?