While the Japanese aren't typically known for their sweets, they were making them well before sugar was introduced to the country. Sweets were often made of ingredients such as nuts, fruit, anko (sweet azuki bean paste), and mochi (sticky rice cakes). Traditional Japanese desserts, known as wagashi, were enjoyed with green tea to offset the bitterness, as opposed to a treat at the end of the meal.
Sushi restaurants will typically have Chinese-inspired desserts and mochi ice cream. But for an authentic Japanese experience, these sweets are great as a snack, and are a perfect way to end your meal.
1. Anmitsu
Anmitsu is a Japanese parfait, created from agar-agar jelly. The agar is melted in water or fruit juice to create the gelatin. It is served in the bowl with anko, peas, and a variety of fruits such as peaches, pineapples, cherries, and satsuma orange. Mochi, ice cream, and nontraditional fruits like strawberries can also be served in a bowl.
2. Daifuku
Daifuku is a wagashi dessert made of mochi balls, normally stuffed with anko. They are covered in corn or potato starch to keep them from sticking together and are around three centimeters, or about the size of your palm. Many varieties exist. Different fillings include strawberries, sweet cream, apricot jam, pureed chestnuts, and recently, coffee-flavored filling or crème caramel.
3. Dango
If dango looks familiar, it's because it has an emoji. Dango is a wagashi that is made from mochiko, a rice flour similar to mochi. Three or four of these balls are placed on a skewer. Dango is eaten year-round, with different varieties eaten in each season. One popular variety is the mitarashi dango, which is covered in a sweet, sticky syrup.
4. Dorayaki
Doarayki is anko paste between two castella pancakes. Castella is a type of sponge cake that was brought to Japan from Portugal in the 16th century and continues to be popular today. A modern-day version of dorayaki has Nutella between the two pancakes.
5. Sakura Mochi
Sakura mochi is made of pink-colored mochi and filled with anko paste. The sweet rice ball is wrapped with a pickled cherry blossom, or sakura, leaf. These are typically eaten in the spring and are especially popular on Girl's Day.
6. Taiyaki
Taiyaki is a common street vendor food in Japan. It is traditional pancake batter poured into a fish mold. Traditionally filled with anko, fillings now include custard, chocolate, sweet potato, or even savory varieties such as sausage, cheese, or gyōza filling. Recently they're being filled with ice cream, fruit, and a variety of other ingredients.
Now that you're more familiar with what traditional Japanese desserts entail, you'll be able to pick the most accurate dish off the dessert menu at any Japanese restaurant you visit. Oishī!