​The hanging scroll displayed the characters “Zu-i-un” (瑞雲), meaning “auspicious clouds,” which are said to herald the arrival of good fortune. In the tokonoma, a decorative hagoita paddle was displayed.

The tea bowls themselves featured classic New Year motifs such as old pine trees and cranes. However, the most eye-catching piece was a tea bowl inspired by this year’s imperial poetry theme (歌会初) - The character  (明/Mei) which means bright, 

Utakai Hajime refers to the Imperial New Year's Poetry. and each year’s theme character—known as the chokudai（勅題）, theme given by the Emperor—is often reflected not only in poetry, but also in tea ceremony scrolls, utensils, and even used as a New Year's motif for  wagashi. 

​This particular tea bowl depicted a scene of light shining through a window. 

Other auspicious motifs included butsukan (仏手柑) - Translated to Buddha’s hand citron also associated with good fortune and expansion of its shape, Decorations of cranes and turtles, pine trees symbols of longevity, were also displayed throughout the room.

Candied eggplants inspired by “Ichi Fuji, Ni Taka, San Nasubi” （一富士二鷹三茄子）—the three lucky things said to appear in one’s first dream of the year: Mt. Fuji (safety and immortality), a hawk (height and nobility), and an eggplant (to achieve or accomplish things). ​ we also displayed which was something I have never seen or heard of before.

Happy New Year to all our readers of the Simply Oishii Blog!
As I look back on 2025, I can honestly say it was a challenging year—both personally and professionally.
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I suffered three bone fractures during the year, including a serious bicycle accident in August, which greatly affected my daily life. For nearly two months, I was unable to use my hands at all. During that time, my instructors truly held the fort. Thanks to their dedication and professionalism, we didn’t have to cancel a single class. I am deeply grateful to them.

Although it was a difficult period, I am thankful simply to be here today—and I’ve learned that I must be much more careful when riding my bike in the future.

In October, I also lost my mother. She had been living in a nursing home for the past three years and passed away peacefully. I am sincerely grateful to the carers who took such wonderful care of her—they even cried for her when she passed. I believe she is now reunited with my father, whom I’m sure missed her dearly.
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These experiences reminded me how deeply my life and work are supported by the people around me, and how important it is never to take that support for granted.

Looking Back on 2025: Our Business Journey
From a business perspective, I believe 2025 was still a strong year—especially considering the challenges we faced. Unfortunately, our Google and YouTube advertising accounts were suspended after being incorrectly flagged as a phishing site (to this day, we don’t know why). Despite submitting appeals, the accounts were never reinstated. As a result, even with government funding, we were unable to use our advertising budget effectively, which was certainly disappointing.
That said, we achieved an important milestone by participating in our first overseas event in Barcelona. It was a fantastic learning experience, and we gained valuable insights. We hope to take part in many more international events in the years to come.

Looking Ahead to 2026
In 2026, my goal is to complete projects that had to be postponed in 2025—most notably the Nerikiri Master Course, an advanced program following our Nerikiri Basic Course. I am currently in the process of creating detailed tutorial videos for this course.

We also plan to take on more corporate events and large group workshops. With the experience we’ve built and the strong team we now have, we feel confident expanding in this area.

Another important ambition is to create more YouTube content. Video is a powerful way to share the beauty and depth of wagashi with people around the world, and we’re excited to grow in this space.
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While our main studio remains in Tokyo, I would love to expand to other areas of Japan such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, so that visitors can enjoy a similar wagashi experience across the country.

Our Mission Beyond Wagashi
My ultimate goal is not only to promote wagashi globally, but also to create meaningful job opportunities—especially for people who have valuable language skills that are often underutilized.

Many of our instructors and assistants have backgrounds in English through overseas study or work earlier in their lives. However, after raising children, they often had few opportunities to use those skills professionally. Through Simply Oishii, I provide training that allows them to combine their cultural knowledge and language abilities, giving them skills they can use for a lifetime.

That is my ambition for the year ahead.
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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. I look forward to sharing another meaningful year with you.

From December 5 to 8, we had the honor of participating in 31 Manga Barcelona., the largest Japan-related event in Spain, held in Barcelona. The expo which is celebrating the 31st birthday this year attracts over 160,000 people from Spain and surrounding countries.
For our association, this marked a milestone—our very first overseas event. A team of seven members traveled from Japan to introduce and promote the beauty of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, to an international audience.

A Celebration of Japanese Culture Beyond Manga and Anime
While Manga Barcelona is widely known as a manga and anime event, it also attracts thousands of Spanish visitors who have a deep love for Japan. Within the venue, the Nagomi Pavilion, dedicated to traditional Japanese culture, brought together booths showcasing a wide range of Japanese craftsmanship, arts, and cultural practices.
We were proud to be part of this pavilion, representing wagashi alongside other traditional techniques and cultural expressions from Japan.

Our Booth: Wagashi Goods & Magnet Workshops
At our booth, we focused on:Selling wagashi-themed goods and accessories
We also hosted a wagashi magnet workshop, where participants could create wagashi-inspired pieces using traditional tools. Although we were unable to handle real food inside the booth due to venue regulations, the magnet workshop proved to be a big success—especially with children and families, who enthusiastically joined and enjoyed the hands-on experience.

Live Wagashi Workshops on Stage
To showcase real wagashi making, the event organizers provided a dedicated stage for workshops introducing Japanese food culture.
On this stage, we conducted wagashi workshops approximately twice a day, alongside Michelin-starred chefs.
Each session attracted over 100 participants, and for the five on-stage participant slots, we received far more applications than available spaces—demonstrating the strong interest in wagashi.

Some of our enthusiastic guests joined every session! (In different cos-plays!)

After each workshop:Wagashi tastings were offered to the audience. Many Spanish visitors had their first opportunity to taste authentic wagashi.

Unfortunately, this time we could not hold an actual wagashi-making workshop inside our booth. However, through the stage workshops, tastings, and wagashi magnet activities, we were able to connect with a wide audience and share the charm of wagashi in multiple ways.
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We sincerely hope to participate in similar international events again in the future and continue introducing wagashi to people around the world. Sharing this delicate and meaningful part of Japanese culture beyond Japan remains one of our greatest aspirations.

November is month when the leaves turn color and beautiful scenery can be enjoyed just before the arrival of winter.

In the world of tea ceremony, November is a particularly significant month, known as the time of Rohbiraki (“opening of the hearth”) and Kuchikiri (“opening of the tea jar”).
As winter approaches, tea practitioners open the sunken hearth (ro) to prepare for the cold season, and they also cut open the seal of the tea jars that have been maturing since summer to begin using the new tea.
Because of these important rituals, November is often called “the New Year for tea people.”
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Beautifully crafted jōnamagashi (high-grade fresh confection) that expresses the colors of late autumn—vivid reds and golds inspired by maple and ginkgo leaves.
With its elegant hues and seasonal feeling, it is a perfect sweet to accompany a bowl of tea during autumn tea gatherings.

Obon (Urabone) is a Buddhist event held in the seventh month of the lunar calendar to welcome and later send off the spirits of ancestors.
Today, it is most commonly observed in August, which corresponds to the seventh lunar month, although some regions still celebrate it in July. During Obon, offerings such as traditional dry sweets (干菓子) and dango （団子）are prepared.

The dango offered on the first day of Obon (the 13th day) to welcome the ancestral spirits are called "mukae dango" (welcoming dango). These are typically served with sweet red bean paste or a sweet soy glaze, meant to comfort the spirits after their long journey back to this world.

In contrast, the dumplings offered on the last day of Obon (the 16th day) to send the spirits off are called "okuri dango" (farewell dango). These are usually plain white dango with nothing added, symbolizing a simple parting gift for the spirits to take back with them to the other world.

During the middle of Obon, on the 14th and 15th, people often offer sweets known as "omotenashi dango" (hospitality dango) or "ochitsuki dango" (settling dango). Ohagi—sweet rice cakes covered in red bean paste—are commonly used as offerings during this time, expressing the wish for the spirits to rest and stay peacefully during their visit.
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These offerings reflect the deep respect Japanese people have for their ancestors and their sincere desire to honor and care for them, even through the simplest of gestures.

At Simply Oishii Wagashi School, we will be teaching summer motifs during this month. Typical summer motifs for nerikiri wagashi is Sunflower, Fireworks, Fan, Ayu fish, Goldfish, Morning Glory and water balloons. 

If you would like to try making these delicate sweets, you can make a booking here in our booking platform

Today, (June 18th )marks not only my last birthday in my 50s, but also the first anniversary of my company.

Eleven years ago, I started teaching classes at home. On my 50th birthday, I officially registered my business, established an association seven years later, and incorporated it the following year.

Running a company has brought greater responsibilities compared to operating as a sole proprietor. Balancing work and private life—preparing lunches for my son during exam season while managing a business I was still getting used to—was certainly challenging. But thanks to the support of those around me, especially my husband, who likely has an even busier schedule yet takes care of all the housework on weekends (and with weekday chores outsourced), we somehow made it through this first year safely.

There are so many roles a solo founder must take on—PR, product development, advertising, teaching, legal affairs, procurement, and more. But as I am approaching 60 and surviving cancer, I know I can't push myself too hard. When I feel tired, I lie down right away, and I make sure to get at least seven hours of sleep each night and take it easy on weekends. (If I had started this in my younger years, I probably would’ve been far more aggressive.)

I often act on impulse without overthinking things, and I sometimes regret it later. But seeing more than 20 graduates of my instructor training course now growing into full-fledged teachers helps reassure me that I made the right decision. After all, my goal in starting this business was to help women earn income by doing what they love.

This year, I’m finally taking the leap into international activities (yes, another spontaneous decision), and I plan to exhibit at the Japan Pavilion of the EXPO in Barcelona at the end of the year. I hope to spend the next year sharing wagashi with people around the world—and maybe even make more time for myself outside of work.

Lastly, since many guests have trouble finding the entrance to our studio, we’ve put up a brand-new sign and have a new map —thanks to the design team led by T. Shudo, a former designer at my previous Job at Sony.

June is the start of the raining season, when the steady, gentle rain makes it hard to feel cheerful. Even when the sun peeks through, the air still feels heavy with humidity and it's hard to feel refreshed. But maybe it's because this season tends to be so damp and dreary that it's the perfect time to welcome others with something light and refreshing—a way to turn the rainy season into a moment of quiet charm.

Otoshibumi（落とし文）
Its name means "dropped letter," referring both to secret old love notes and to a type of beetle that rolls leaves to lay its eggs—like a tiny message. Otoshibumi mimics this image: it’s usually made from Nerikiri Dough with sweet bean paste as a filling.

Hydrangea（紫陽花）and Green Plum（青梅） Motif Wagashi
A popular Motifs during this season for Nerikiri and Uiro, Sold in Wagashi Shops.

We have festivals all year round in Japan and one of the well known festivals in June is the  Nagoshi no Harae（夏越の祓え）／Summer Purification Ceremony

Nagoshi no Harae is a traditional Shinto purification ritual held at the end of June in Japan. The ceremony is meant to cleanse people of sins, impurities, and misfortunes accumulated in the first half of the year and to pray for good health and safety during the remainder of the year.

One of the most symbolic aspects of this ritual is the Chinowa Kuguri, where participants walk through a large ring made of miscanthus reeds (called a chinowa) as a symbolic act of purification. This act is believed to remove spiritual impurities and bring about renewed vitality.
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The ritual is usually conducted at Shinto shrines across Japan, and it's often accompanied by prayers, offerings, and sometimes the burning or releasing in a river of symbolic objects such as paper dolls (Hitogata/人形), which are believed to absorb a person’s sins and misfortunes.

Minazuki – A Traditional Japanese Sweet for Summer Purification
Minazuki is a traditional Japanese sweet (wagashi) commonly eaten around the time of the Nagoshi no Harae.

This confection consists of a base of white firm rice cake), topped with sweet azuki (red beans). It is typically cut into triangular shapes, which are said to represent blocks of ice. In the past, ice was a luxury item used to cool off in the summer, so the shape symbolizes a wish for protection against the summer heat and good health during the hottest months of the year.
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The red beans are also believed to have protective qualities, warding off evil spirits. Eating Minazuki during this time is a seasonal tradition meant to bring purification and blessings for the second half of the year.

If you would like to visit a shrine that has the Chinowa, please visit this website (In Japanese Only)

Tokyo:東京都 茅の輪くぐり神社リスト121社（MAP付き）｜夏越の大祓
Kyoto:：無病息災を願う、6月の風物詩「夏越の祓」を体験しよう！

​Simply Oishii Wagashi School will be making Early Spring Motifs starting from June. To book a nerikiri wagashi class, please go to this page this pages or contact us.

Last week I was in Jakarta or the second time to visit Elm's corner which is a certified school of Wagashi Promotion Association(WPA) Japan in Indonesia.

Wagashi Promotion Association is an organization I run which is dedicated to sharing the beauty and traditions of wagashi.

We are excited to have them onboard to promote wagashi in Indonesia together. In my last trip they have taken our Nerikiri Basic Course, which is a certificate course to learn the basic techniques in wagashi making.  For those residing in Indonesia, this course can be now taken at Elm's corner and be certified as an instructor by WPA. 

Last month we hosted a corporate team building event at our studio for a foreign company based in Yokohama.

We started off with a short presentation on wagashi (Japanese sweets), then moved on to actually making them. First we made two seasonal motifs, the sakura and the sakura leaf. 

Then each table had to undergo the task of making original designs based on the given theme.

This table's theme was "spring". Very original and creative, with spring colors!
Both teams did a brilliant job and it was a tough call, but as this is a team building event, we chose the spring team as all team members worked together to create one artwork, 

A big hand to the autumn team. although, they didn't win the team award, one of the members received the best nerikiri award.  

After the award ceremony, they all ate one of their creations with a bowl of matcha they learn how to whisk themselves as well as learning the etiquette on how to drink matcha.

A big thank you for giving us the opportunity to host this fun event. All of our instructors also enjoyed this event too.  I personally realized again how wagashi making can be such a fun team building event with a bit of competition. 

For inquiries on corporate events please visit This page or contact us  for a quotation.