# The best traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi)

The most representative traditional Japanese sweets, based on explanations by Wagashi no Kisetsu, Sazae Foods and the confectioner Daiya: from yokan and daifuku to nerikiri and monaka.

- 13 votes · 15 items
- Aug 22, 2025 · Takumi Yamazaki
- https://even.best/en/l/1611/the-best-traditional-japanese-sweets-wagashi

## Top 15

1. **Yokan** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Bar of red bean paste set with agar, in firm and soft 'mizu' versions.
2. **Dango** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Rice-flour dumplings on skewers: mitarashi, bean paste or three-colour.
3. **Sakura mochi** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Spring mochi wrapped in a salted cherry leaf, in Kanto and Kansai styles.
4. **Konpeito** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Star-shaped sugar candy introduced by the Portuguese.
5. **Monaka** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Crisp mochi-wafer shells filled with bean paste.
6. **Nerikiri** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — White bean paste and gyuhi shaped into seasonal flowers, a fine confection.
7. **Ohagi / botamochi** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Sticky rice coated in bean paste or kinako, eaten at the equinoxes.
8. **Kashiwa mochi** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Mochi wrapped in an oak leaf for Children's Day.
9. **Imagawayaki** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Round griddle cake filled with bean paste.
10. **Daifuku** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Mochi wrapped around bean paste; strawberry and bean versions are popular.
11. **Dorayaki** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Two castella-style pancakes sandwiching sweet bean paste.
12. **Warabi mochi** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Translucent bracken-starch mochi with kinako and black syrup.
13. **Taiyaki** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fish-shaped cake filled with bean paste.
14. **Castella** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Moist sponge cake from Nagasaki, introduced by the Portuguese.
15. **Anmitsu** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Agar jelly, fruit, shiratama and bean paste with black syrup.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.