Japanese sweets shine on social media
Japan is known for its inventive confectionary, and people love posting photos of the latest creations on social media. We visit a Tokyo store that sells accessories that look just like sweets, together with the actual sweets they are based on. It became famous after customers posted photos online. Social media has been a boon for traditional Japanese wagashi sweets too. The 400-year Kagawa tradition of rice sweets called Oiri was in decline. But when a cafe used them as toppings for soft-serve ice cream, it sparked a social media sensation reviving the tradition.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
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Japan is known for its inventive confectionary, and people love posting photos of the latest creations on social media. We visit a Tokyo store that sells accessories that look just like sweets, together with the actual sweets they are based on. It became famous after customers posted photos online. Social media has been a boon for traditional Japanese wagashi sweets too. The 400-year Kagawa tradition of rice sweets called Oiri was in decline. But when a cafe used them as toppings for soft-serve ice cream, it sparked a social media sensation reviving the tradition.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion
Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#Japan
#tradition
#sweetfoods
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:08 Sweet shops like this bring an extra touch of colour to Tokyo streets.
00:12 [Music]
00:18 Everyone loves taking photos of cute confections to post on social media.
00:22 [Music]
00:25 This means whenever a new sweet is invented, it will immediately go viral.
00:29 [Music]
00:35 Here we're in an accessory store.
00:37 [Music]
00:41 Not only do they sell necklaces that look just like sweets,
00:44 [Music]
00:48 they also sell real sweets you can eat that look just like the accessories.
00:52 [Music]
00:55 It's so cute!
00:56 [Music]
00:58 These edible accessories quickly became extremely popular.
01:02 [Music]
01:04 Photos on social media brought new customers to the store,
01:07 intrigued by these unusual sweets.
01:10 [Music]
01:12 Gummy candies are currently a big hit with Japanese sweets lovers.
01:16 [Music]
01:19 This candy store has a whole section devoted just to gummies.
01:22 [Music]
01:24 You can choose from about 200 different varieties.
01:27 [Music]
01:31 Cute arrangements of gummies became a hot theme on Japanese social media.
01:36 [Music]
01:40 Social media has even helped revive interest in some traditional wagashi sweets.
01:45 [Music]
01:47 A wagashi called oiri has become a popular topping for things like soft serve ice cream.
01:53 [Music]
01:55 This sweet has a history going back 400 years as a traditional specialty of Kagawa.
02:00 [Music]
02:04 Oiri is made from glutinous rice.
02:07 [Music]
02:08 It's a complex process that takes a skilled artisan three to four days.
02:14 [Music]
02:17 The final stage is the most difficult.
02:21 This is what determines the quality of the finished sweet.
02:25 [Music]
02:29 As it's heated, the rice dough gradually swells and forms round balls.
02:34 [Music]
02:38 Naniki Yuhei inherited this family business that's been in operation for about 60 years.
02:44 [Music]
02:46 If I overdo this part, the final product will crack open. It'll be too crunchy.
02:52 But if I underdo it, it will feel too squishy in the mouth.
02:55 It's a matter of feeling, staying sensitive to how things are going.
03:01 [Music]
03:02 Nariki's wife, Noel, handles the coloring.
03:06 [Music]
03:14 Oiri are known for these subtle, delicate hues.
03:21 Originally, Oiri were given as gifts for celebrations and festive occasions.
03:26 The custom faded out, however, and they became a rarely seen item.
03:30 [Music]
03:33 And then this cafe in Kagawa had the idea to add Oiri to soft serve ice cream.
03:39 People love the cute new confection.
03:42 [Music]
03:45 It's beautiful. I'll be posting these photos on Instagram.
03:51 Oiri is back, once more a famous Kagawa specialty.
03:56 They look so pretty. I hope I can keep on making them in the same beautiful colors that my grandfather did.
04:05 This is a traditional Japanese confectionery that really deserves to survive.
04:12 Other traditional wagashi sweets are also evolving to satisfy younger consumers.
04:20 And much of this is thanks to the power of social media.
04:24 [Music]
04:26 [Silence]
04:32 [Mouse click]
04:33 [Ping]
04:34 [Silence]