I love sweets, especially wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets). I buy them quite often!

Some people might think of wagashi as something only older people enjoy. Among the people I know, I feel like fewer young people are big fans of wagashi compared to Western-style sweets.

In tourist areas, you can often find taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with sweet red bean paste) and manju (small steamed buns with sweet fillings). However, quite a few of my friends actually don’t like anko, a sweet red bean paste commonly used in Japanese sweets.

Maybe that’s why I don’t see as many people sharing wagashi recommendations on social media as I do Western-style sweets.

So today, as a big wagashi lover, I’d like to share three of my favorite Japanese sweets with you!

I’ve chosen sweets that you can buy at 7-Eleven in Japan, a convenience store chain you may have come across if you’ve ever visited Japan.

1: Imo yokan

The first one is imo yokan, a Japanese sweet made from sweet potatoes.

Yokan is a traditional Japanese confectionery made by setting ingredients such as sweet bean paste into a firm shape.

Imo yokan has a natural sweetness from sweet potatoes. It has a moist, smooth texture, and I love how it brings out the natural flavor of sweet potatoes.

2: Mame daifuku

The second one is mame daifuku. It is a soft rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste, with beans mixed into the outer layer.

The mochi is chewy, and the sweetness of the red bean paste goes perfectly with the slightly salty beans. I also love the contrast between the soft mochi and the firmer beans. For someone with a sweet tooth like me, the combination of mochi and sweet red bean paste is hard to resist!

3: Mitarashi dango

The third one is mitarashi dango. These are chewy rice dumplings covered in a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze.

Unlike many other sweets, mitarashi dango is not just sweet. The saltiness of the soy sauce balances out the sweetness, and the glaze has a delicious, slightly roasted flavor. I love the combination of the chewy dumplings and the rich sauce.

It’s also a great choice if you enjoy sweets but don’t like them to be too sweet!

Please note that product availability may vary depending on the store, location, and season. You may not be able to find all of these sweets at every 7-Eleven in Japan.

If you ever visit Japan, I hope you’ll look for them and give them a try!

Matcha has become popular around the world recently, but for me, matcha and wagashi go hand in hand!

If you visit Japan, don’t forget to try some traditional Japanese sweets, too.

Thank you for reading, as always!