The Wagashi Revival: Young Makers Reimagine Traditional Sweets

Across Japan, a new generation of confectioners is giving centuries-old seasonal sweets fresh shapes, flavors and fans without losing their quiet beauty.

Published October 26, 2026 at 11:59 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: The wagashi revival is a movement in which younger makers and long-established shops give traditional Japanese sweets new designs, flavors and ways of reaching customers. Its anchor is the 2022 recognition of named fresh sweets such as nerikiri as a registered intangible cultural property. Meanwhile, a 2026 tourism-industry column notes that domestic spending on Japanese sweets has slowly declined, which is part of why new ideas matter.

Wagashi are the traditional confections of Japan, made mostly from plant-based ingredients such as sweet bean paste, rice flour and sugar, and they are closely tied to the seasons and to tea. People searching for a "wagashi revival" usually want to know who is behind it, what the new sweets look like, and where a visitor can try them. This guide explains the background, the reasons the craft is getting fresh attention, the kinds of experiments being made, and practical ways to taste and learn about them on a trip.

What the revival actually means

The revival is less a single event than a steady widening of who makes and who buys wagashi. Some of the energy comes from long-running family shops whose sixth or seventh generation is trying new ideas. Some comes from designers and small studios who treat the sweets as miniature art. Some comes from collaborations that pair an old shop with a new partner, such as an online store or a well-known character brand.

What ties these efforts together is respect for the core idea of wagashi: sweets that express a season through color, shape and name. The experiments tend to change the packaging, the silhouette or a flavor accent while keeping the bean paste, the rice and the seasonal logic at the center.

A short history behind the sweets

Wagashi developed over more than a thousand years, which gives today's makers a deep well to draw from. According to Wikipedia's overview, early confections in Japan were simple grain and nut foods, and sweets became more refined as tea culture spread from the Kamakura period onward. Western-style sweets arrived with Portuguese traders in the Sengoku period, and Japanese makers adapted them to local taste.

Most of the wagashi people know today took shape in the Edo period, when sugar production was encouraged and Kyoto craftspeople developed nerikiri, a smooth paste that can be sculpted into flowers and leaves. The word wagashi itself was coined in the late 1800s to tell Japanese sweets apart from Western-style yogashi, and it became the everyday term only after World War II. In other words, the category has always been shaped by contact with new ideas, which is one reason modern experiments feel natural to many makers.

Why new ideas are needed

A tourism-industry column published in March 2026 by JTB Tourism Research and Consulting gives a clear picture of the challenge. It reports, using the national Household Expenditure Survey, that domestic spending on Japanese sweets has been drifting downward over the long term, even as total confectionery spending has risen, partly because of convenience store sweets and higher ingredient costs.

The column suggests that wagashi may be turning into treats for special occasions rather than everyday snacks. It also points to opportunity: many younger Japanese people and international visitors have few chances to try traditional sweets, so hands-on experiences and new product ideas can open the door. That mix of concern and possibility is the backdrop to the current wave of creativity.

A 2022 recognition that raised the profile

In 2022 Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs registered fresh sweets that carry a seasonal name, with nerikiri and konashi given as examples, as a registered intangible cultural property. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology reported that certificates were presented in December 2022 to the Association of Outstanding Wagashi Artisans, the group that maintains the skills.

The registration honors the design, the naming and the craftsmanship behind these sweets, especially the preparation of bean paste and the delicate depiction of seasonal scenes. For young makers it works as a kind of encouragement: the craft they are learning is officially valued, so there is good reason to carry it forward and to explore what it can become.

Old shops, new generations

Many of the most interesting changes come from inside long-established businesses. The JTB column highlights Fukushimaya, a shop in Tokyo's Sugamo district founded in 1861 and now run by its sixth generation, which has created what it calls neo-wagashi to appeal to younger customers. The idea is not to replace classic sweets but to add a second doorway for people who might never walk into a traditional shop.

This pattern repeats across the country. A shop keeps its core recipes, then adds a seasonal line with a modern color palette, a smaller portion, a gift box that fits a desk, or a flavor pairing such as chocolate and bean paste. Because wagashi are made by hand in small batches, a single craftsperson can try a new design and see the response within days.

Neo-wagashi: new looks, familiar flavors

Neo-wagashi is the loose label for sweets that blend wagashi methods with Western confectionery ideas or contemporary design. Tokyo's Higashiya, which opened its first shop in 2003 according to a Pen magazine profile, is a well-known example. It reworks wagashi by changing their appearance, offering sticks, bars and small rounds, while keeping classic flavors and a strong role for red bean paste, and it serves them in a tea room in Ginza.

Another famous modern creation is mizu shingen mochi, the clear, water-like sweet made from agar that a Yamanashi shop introduced in 2014. It is counted as wagashi in Japan and inspired imitations abroad. These examples show that a new shape or texture can still feel connected to the older tradition when the ingredients and the seasonal sensibility remain.

Collaborations and character sweets

Collaboration is another visible strand of the revival. According to the travel site MATCHA, a Kyoto confectioner founded in 1865 launched a year-round lineup of Pokemon-themed Kyoto sweets in autumn 2025, including hand-shaped fresh sweets, baked rice crackers and dry sugar sweets made with Shikoku wasanbon, a fine-grained traditional sugar. The fresh sweets are released in limited quantities at the shop, which shows how an old craft and a modern fandom can meet.

In autumn 2026 an online wagashi store also began a series pairing long-established sweet shops with limited products, starting with a chocolate yokan made with a shop in Ibaraki that dates to 1948. Details such as sales periods and quantities change quickly, so treat these as examples of a trend rather than permanent menu items.

Sharing the craft with new audiences

Younger makers also use video and photography to explain how wagashi are made, since the process is satisfying to watch: a ball of paste becomes a chrysanthemum petal by petal. Short clips, small portions and carefully named seasonal designs suit modern habits of sharing and gifting.

Hands-on classes are growing in importance as well. The JTB column specifically recommends experiences such as wagashi-making workshops and visits connected to wasanbon sugar production in Kagawa and Tokushima as ways to build interest among visitors. Sampling a class lets travelers understand why a single sweet can cost more than they expect: the skill is in the hands.

How visitors can enjoy the revival

The simplest way to join in is to visit a department store food hall, where traditional shops and newer brands often stand side by side. Buy one classic seasonal piece and one modern piece, then compare them with a cup of tea. Many shops sell small gift boxes, and fresh sweets are best eaten the same day or within a short window, so ask staff about timing before you buy.

Opening hours, limited releases and class schedules change often, so confirm details on each shop's official page before you travel. If you have a food allergy or follow a specific diet, remember that ingredients vary by maker and recipe: read labels or ask the shop. Sweets made with bean paste are usually plant-based, but modern versions may add dairy, eggs, alcohol or gelatin.

What to remember

The wagashi revival is best understood as an old craft reaching new hands and new audiences. It rests on a long history of adaptation, formal cultural recognition in 2022, and the energy of makers who see seasonal sweets as a living art. For travelers, it means more ways than ever to taste, watch and even make wagashi. Start with a seasonal piece, notice its name and color, and let the story behind it unfold.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book 30 Japanese Wagashi, Seasonal Sweets, and Childhood Classics is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is neo-wagashi?

Neo-wagashi is a loose term for sweets that combine traditional wagashi techniques, such as bean paste and rice flour work, with Western confectionery ideas or modern design. Examples include slim bar-shaped sweets, chocolate and bean paste pairings, and character-themed sets. The seasonal spirit and craftsmanship remain, while the look or flavor is updated for new audiences.

Why did Japan register nerikiri as a cultural property?

In 2022 the Agency for Cultural Affairs registered fresh sweets with seasonal names, with nerikiri and konashi as examples, as a registered intangible cultural property. The recognition honors the design, naming and skill behind them, and it supports the artisans' association that maintains those skills, helping the craft reach new people.

Where can visitors try new-style wagashi?

Department store food halls in large cities usually carry both historic shops and newer brands, and some modern specialty shops have their own tea rooms. Workshops and tasting classes are also offered in places such as Tokyo and Kyoto. Hours and offerings change, so check each official website first, and ask about ingredients if you have dietary needs.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Wagashi Through the Seasons: A Sweets Calendar, Nerikiri: How Wagashi Artists Shape Seasonal Sweets and Kyogashi: The Refined Sweets of Kyoto.