Wagashi in the month of June

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.

Hydrangea Flower, a popular June Motif

The garden glistening in the rain, the small, delicate flowers blooming quietly—there’s a kind of beauty that only this season brings. The tea ceremony is a great way to take a moment to notice those touches of seasonal grace and enjoy the rainy season in your own way.

Here are some popular wagashi that are served in this season:

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.

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Ayu or Waka-ayu（鮎／若鮎）
A traditional Japanese summer confection that mimics the appearance of sweetfish swimming in a clear stream. It consists of a soft castella batter wrapped around a filling of gyuhi (a soft mochi-like rice cake).

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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.

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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.

Chinowa（茅の輪）

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.

Photo from: https://all-guide.com/

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.