In a Japanese tea ceremony, traditional sweets called higashi are often served alongside usucha (thin tea). Higashi are dry Japanese sweets made with very little moisture.

Some popular examples include rakugan, delicate sweets made from powdered ingredients and sugar, and pressed sweets made with wasanbon, a fine Japanese sugar known for its delicate sweetness.

During a tea ceremony, sweets are generally enjoyed before drinking matcha. The sweetness of the sweets helps bring out the rich flavor and gentle bitterness of matcha, making each sip even more enjoyable.

Japanese sweets also reflect the beauty of the changing seasons. They often take inspiration from seasonal flowers, plants, and landscapes. In autumn, motifs such as ginkgo leaves, persimmons, chestnuts, and Japanese pampas grass are commonly used to express the colors and abundance of the season.

This season, at Yumeyakata Gojo Shop and Oike Bettei, you can enjoy seasonal higashi sweets inspired by autumn leaves and chrysanthemums.

Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of Japan’s four seasons through these little sweets, and enjoy a relaxing moment with a cup of matcha.