Japanese Sweets making experience at Tenmeido, Kawashiri town, Kumamoto City
This is a fun and memorable wagashi making experience that anyone can enjoy !
Learn from a Japanese wagashi master with over 40 years of experience.
What are 'Wagashi' ?
Japanese sweets known as ‘Wagashi’ are not only tasty, they are also beautiful to look at. Each one a miniature work of art.
During the Japanese Sweets Making Experience at Tenmeido traditional sweets shop in Kawashiri, Kumamoto you can learn the secrets of how to make beautiful Nerikiri wagashi. The traditional seasonal sweets served at a Japanese tea ceremony.
What kind of Japanese sweet is Nerikiri?
Nerikiri are a type of soft sweet often enjoyed with matcha tea or eaten to celebrate something. Their form expresses nature and the 4 seasons. In spring you might eat a nerikiri in the form of a cherry blossom flower. In the autumn a chrysanthemum or maple leaf.
What are Nerikiri sweets made from?
Nerikiri are lovingly handcrafted from a few simple ingredients; bean paste, sugar and mochi rice powder, making a delicately flavoured, high protein, gluten free and vegan friendly delicacy.
Wagashi Making Experience
During the Japanese Sweets Making Experience you will enjoy the following:
- A wagashi making display by the 7th generation owner of Tenmeido, Mr Kitagawa, a wagashi master craftsman. He will explain the history of Japanese sweets making and show you how he makes a range of different nerikiri wagashi.
- English and Spanish interpretation is available
- Wagashi Workshop - Mr Kitagawa will teach you how to make 2 seasonal nerikiri wagashi using traditional Japanese techniques that anyone can master.
- You will be served wagashi and matcha tea.
- Your finished wagashi sweets will be packaged to take away with you.
Japanese Sweets Making Experience Information
- 1 to 6 people - but larger groups can be catered for in another location
- around 60 minutes
- 3850 Yen (includes tax)
- free parking at the side of the shop
- 5 minute walk from Kawashiri station
- To reserve contact Hiromi Kitagawa (she speaks English and Spanish)
- Kawashiri 1 Cho-me 3-39-2, Minami Ku, Kumamoto City (〒861-4115 熊本県熊本市南区川尻１丁目３−３９−２)
- +81 (0)96 357 9225
The wagashi making experience needs to be booked in advance and depends on Mr Kitagawa’s availability.
To make an inquiry contact Hiromi Kitagawa with your available dates, time preferences and the number of people in your group.
h-info@k-tenmeido.com
Getting to Tenmeido
7 minutes by train from Kumamoto Station on the Kagoshima / Misumi Line, get off at Kawashiri station then it’s just a 5 minute walk to Tenmeido
About Tenmeido Wagashi Cake shop & Cafe
Tenmeido is a family run traditional Japanese wagashiya with a 230 year history.
It sells handcrafted Japanese and western style sweets and has a small cafe with eat in space.
Open everyday from 09:00 to 19:00
About Kawashiri Town
During the Edo period, shipping and sea trade thrived and Kawashiri Town became Kumamoto City’s bustling riverside port. Local artisans moved into the area making everything from knives to sake to sweets. These days the Kawashiri area is more of a peaceful backwater but there is still evidence of its heyday with a variety of traditional buildings lining the streets and traditional crafts being made in the area.
After visiting Tenmeido why not take a walk around the area. make sure to visit the nearby Kumamoto Handicrafts Promotion Center. There you can see exhibitions by local artisans. There are a selection of traditional crafts for sale and also often live craft demonstrations and craft making workshops you can join. The Kumamoto Handicrafts Promotion Center is open from 9:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.