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Mosaic sushi (top row) with assorted sushi.

Adorable Japanese Treats

Japanese food is made with an array of colorful ingredients. The types of elements that go into the creation of each dish are colorful and thoughtfully prepared. The Japanese kawaii culture has made it easy to use the imagination to come up with the cutest and most delightful edible treats that are just too pretty to bite into!

Check out some of the more popular irresistible Japanese treats:

 Chirin -chirin

In Nagasaki, chirin-chirin has been around for about 50 years and remains a popular treat, not just during summer but all year round.

It comes in various flavors, but vanilla is the most popular. What makes it so special is its rose petal shape. The ice cream is similar to sorbet: light and refreshing, perfect for summer.

The ice cream is scooped into the cone a little at a time and rotated to form the delicate petals. The ice cream is sold in small carts usually manned by elderly ladies and sold for a reasonable 100 yen.

Various kinds of wagashi

Various types of wagashi.

Sumikko Gurashi wagashi

Wagashi are usually served with green tea and are made in a diverse variety of shapes, ingredients, and preparation techniques.

Some types of wagashi are seasonal and available only in some regions, while others are popular all around the country. Sweet bean paste is one of the main ingredients in most of the wagashi.

Sumikko Gurashi or “living in the corner”, are a cast of loveable Japanese characters in a world where they take comfort in being in a corner to get away from all the negative outlooks on life. These adorable little characters are shaped into traditional Japanese wagashi treats that are too cute to eat! Check out the Sumikko Gurashi wagashi from Japan Today.

Mosaic sushi

Sushi usually consists of cooked rice mixed with vinegar and sweet sake, raw or cooked seafood, seaweed, and vegetables.

Mosaic sushi (top row) with assorted sushi.

The ingredients and presentation vary, but sushi always contains rice. Raw fish or other types of meat that are sliced and served without rice are called sashimi. Sushi is often served with a daikon garnish, wasabi, soy sauce, and shredded ginger.

Mosaic sushi (top row) with assorted sushi. | Kristine Hojilla

There are several types of sushi, many chefs and even artists are inspired to create a new trend in sushi making called mosaic sushi. Mosaic sushi are beautifully crafted works of edible art that can satisfy our appetite for food as well as for visual beauty.

Koi fish sushi

Sushi, a popular Japanese dish, has reached the far corners of the world. It’s healthful,  fast to get or make, and a complete, filling meal.

Japanese koi fish, specifically nishikigoi (錦鯉), literally means “brocaded carp” and makes a beautiful and popular pet.

For fish hobbyists, they have become one of the most expensive fish to own. Japanese koi are mainly kept for their beauty, to enhance the decorative aspects of most gardens and homes.

Sushi comes in many varieties and the different ingredients are colorful and fanciful it can be turned into practically anything. Check out how to make sushi shaped like a koi fish!

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!