Today’s Wagashi for the Tea Ceremony: “Minazuki”

For today’s tea ceremony experience, we served a traditional Japanese sweet called Minazuki (水無月), made by the nearly 100 years established wagashi shop Chikuodo in Sangenjaya. Minazuki is a seasonal confectionery traditionally enjoyed in Kyoto at the end of June to mark the halfway point of the year. It is eaten with the hope of staying healthy for the remaining six months.

The name Minazuki itself is the old Japanese name for June in the traditional calendar. Written with the characters for “water” (水), “none” (無), and “month” (月), it means “the month without water.” However, June is the rainy season in Japan. This contradiction can be understood because the old Japanese calendar was one month behind the modern calendar. In other words, if you imagine the hot sunny weather in July, Minazuki may be a reasonable name for the month.

Chikuodo’s Minazuki features a soft and chewy mochi base made of sugar, rice powder and starch of Yoshino honkuzu and warabi, topped with large sweetened Dainagon azuki beans. Its delicate flavor pairs wonderfully with matcha, making it the perfect sweet for our tea ceremony. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed this seasonal treat.

If you’re in Tokyo and want to experience a taste of the tradition of this time, we highly recommend trying this delightful wagashi during your visit!