Make Modern Wagashi and Express Japan’s Four Seasons in Flowers

Explore the Exciting World of Japanese Sweets

The Wanaha Art Food Association is dedicated to teaching the art of creating flowers with sweet bean paste, a traditional ingredient in Japanese sweets. Made by boiling beans like red or white kidney beans, adding sugar, and kneading them together, sweet bean paste is rich in nutrients. To create vibrant, beautiful flowers, the association uses natural food powders and dietary-friendly ingredients, ensuring the sweets are gluten-free and dairy-free.

Depicting beautiful seasonal flowers with sweet bean paste

In this experience, Yukari Suehiro, president of the Wanaha Art Food Association, will be your instructor. Suehiro is a pioneer in popularizing sweet bean paste flowers in Japan. She experimented with the idea of modernizing traditional wagashi made from sweet bean paste using only natural ingredients, avoiding synthetic coloring. This led her to develop the technique of creating flowers with sweet bean paste and establish the Wanaha Art Food Association.

Experience venue near Tokyo Station: a luxurious space awaits

This experience will be held at Salon de h, a stylish event space just a 2-minute walk from Tokyo Station. Here, you'll have the opportunity to craft beautiful bean paste sweets in an elegant private setting.

Gorgeous Flowers with a Gentle Sweetness

First, Suehiro will give a lecture on the characteristics and creation process of the flowers you'll be making.

The flower motifs vary by season, featuring popular blooms in Japan such as roses in spring, sunflowers in summer, cosmos in autumn, and camellias in winter. Suehiro selects seasonal flowers that are beginner-friendly, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Enjoy the seasonal delight of discovering different flowers (sample demonstration work by the instructor)

For instance, during early summer, the motif is the beginner-friendly hydrangea. The bean paste is colored blue with butterfly pea, a herb with vibrant blue blooms, and purple with purple sweet potato. Mixing these two bean paste colors creates a marbled effect, achieving petals with a beautiful gradation.

The flower themes provide a fresh sense of Japan's four distinct seasons, enhancing your experience (sample demonstration work by the instructor)

Seasonal feelings conveyed through the color of the flowers

Enjoy a Demonstration of Professional Skills

Then, Suehiro will demonstrate the flower-making process. Her precise and skillful technique as she carefully pipes the sweet bean paste and shapes the flowers is a sight to behold. Suehiro's graceful movements will captivate you.

Artistic Japanese sweets created by Suehiro

Creating flower sweets might appear challenging at first, but don't worry. Suehiro will provide careful guidance as you try it yourself, ensuring you can work on it with confidence.

You will be captivated by the beautiful and delicate handiwork

Hands-On Lesson to Make Colorful Flowers

After the demonstration, it's your turn to create your flowers. You'll start by piping the sweet bean paste to create a base. It's crucial to remove as much air as possible from the piping bag to avoid needing extra force when piping the paste.

Suehiro offers careful guidance, ensuring beginners feel comfortable

Once the piping bag is prepared, squeeze the sweet bean paste onto a “flower nail,” a decoration tool. Start by squeezing the sweet bean paste in a circular motion to form a base, then add more paste gradually to create the petals. With practice, you'll improve your technique and speed.

Experience the satisfaction of completing your own flower box

Lastly, create leaves using green bean paste colored with matcha green tea. Once finished, use a “flower lifter,” shaped like scissors, to scoop the sweet bean paste and place it on a board to complete the process. After making several flowers, pack them into a box. As for the base to place the flowers on, whether it's mochi, cake, cookies, etc., it's up to you to choose.

Experience Japanese Hospitality Through Japanese Sweets

After the lesson, admire your work of art as you enjoy a cup of tea alongside a bean paste flower sweet. From the beautifully colored bean paste, you can taste the subtle flavors of ingredients like matcha and sweet potato.

Broaden your horizons by learning a new style of Japanese sweets

Lovely and fun to eat, flower sweets made with bean paste delight both the palate and the eyes. The number of instructors teaching this art is now steadily growing across Japan. This plan teaches you the technique of making these sweets while appreciating Japan’s seasonal beauty and colorful flowers. Experiencing traditional wagashi in a new style, savoring the joy of making and the deliciousness of the finished product, will surely become unforgettable memories of Japan.