Welcome to a special seasonal post from the NYC Konbini Kitchen! We’re focusing on the delicate beauty of Sakura Goromo, a traditional Japanese wagashi infused with dried cherry blossoms.
A Cultural Deep Dive: Understanding Traditional Japanese Wagashi
Like many of you, I’ve always wondered: What do the petals of Sakura Trees truly taste like? Usually, the seasonal cherry blossom items are missing at my local convenience stores, but this year I made a special trip. The opportunity arose during my visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual Sakura Matsuri, where I focused my attention on finding authentic treats.
Despite the inflated festival prices—a pet peeve I developed after years of attending cons—I found a beacon of hope at a traditional sweets stand featuring the artistry of Minamoto Kitchoan: The Maker of Fine Japanese Sweets.
Join me as we finally get to Taste Test: Finding the True Cherry Blossom Flavor and see how this classic treat stacks up!
What is Wagashi? Definition and Common Types (Mochi, Dango, etc.)
Wagashi [和菓子] translates to “traditional Japanese confectionery”.
Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets and confections that are often paired with green tea. The treats are usually made with natural, native ingredients such as the rice-based mochi, azuki beans or anko, and fruit to create a diverse array of shapes, textures, and flavors within the sweets.
Kinako dango, koshian mochi, dorayaki, and strawberry daifuku also hold special places in my heart. Mainly, anything with adzuki beans, matcha, or Hokkaido cream are traditional snacks I have tried in the past. Sweet potato and chestnut are popular fall-flavored snacks, as well.
I purchased two traditional wagashi snacks, Sakura Mochi and Sakura Goromo.
We are going to talk about the latter today.
Mochi is considered one of many types of Japanese wagashi. Dorayaki, Yokan, Daifuku, Dango, Manju, taiyaki, and the fruit dish anmitsu are a few other popular varieties of Japanese wagashi.
This is also my first-ever time trying to review a food, so bear with my less-than-eloquent descriptions of these foods.
The last time I visited my grandma in Albuquerque was in 2010; I purchased random things from the local Vietnamese market. One of those things was a bamboo sushi roller mat. It has literally sat in a drawer in the corner of my room for the past eight years, waiting to find purpose within its inanimate object life.
On a cloudy day in April, its day has finally come.
I also felt the need to cover up the Kokopelli placemats a bit. Sure, I should have broken out the porcelain blue dragon Chinese teapot for aesthetic reasons and the pretty white plates in the cabinet – but I wanted a more rustic look.
Also, that means I’d have to wash dishes, and that’s not something I’m keen on doing at 7 am on a Monday morning.
Understanding Wagashi Ingredients and Safety Considerations
Most wagashi are created with simple ingredients like rice flour, adzuki beans, and agar – a gelatinous substance that is originally derived from seaweed and processed for use in various baked and cooked dishes.
I appreciated that Minamoto Kitchoan had ingredient inscriptions along with displays at their booth. Despite this, however, I still read the ingredients myself on the back of the package.
The Sakura Goromo I tried from Minamoto Kitchoan was made primarily from sugar, red beans (adzuki), salted cherry blossom, rice, and agar for texture.
I find that sometimes if anchovies or other fish products are added to Japanese packaged foods, they will not be in the bottom ‘allergen’ section. You have to scan every single ingredient to find it hidden in the third or fourth row of text.
My favorite senbei ‘Yuki no Yado’ somewhere along the way began adding fish into the mix, and for dietary reasons, I had to switch to a different brand.
Or there is the issue of going to Bento shops or restaurants and mentioning you have a seafood allergy ( saying: “シーフードアレルギーがあります” aloud in Japanese) and sometimes still being offered miso soup containing dashi fish stock.
I know this is due to the fact that traditional Japanese food dishes are primarily seafood-based, and vegetarianism isn’t really a thing there.
With this in mind, I tread lightly with my excitement over these snacks.
The Sensory Experience of Sakura Goromo
I’m sure the crepe-like outer shell was a lot less porous at the time of my purchase, but being out in the sun all day and then later sitting in the fridge for two days left it a bit deflated.
I used scissors to open the packaging, which was quite sturdy. Opening it, a strong floral smell mixed with cinnamon wafted into my nostrils. I also smelled the adzuki bean cake mixture.
Texture and Scent of the Sakura Goromo
The freshness packet lay on the bottom of the neatly folded treat. There was a dried pink blossom pressed into its surface, and turning it on its side, you can see red bean paste.
Possibly tsubushian anko, as it seems the beans were mashed with their skins. Or it could be koshian anko, which is most commonly used in snacks and has the skins removed.
Flavor Profile: How the Cherry Blossom Stacks Up
Surprisingly, salted cherry blossoms taste almost spicy, like a mixture of cinnamon or cardamom.
I bit into the center and was pleasantly surprised by the strong cinnamon-spice flavor and an actual leaf. Now the ingredients on the back say that it contains a leaf, but for some reason, I wasn’t prepared for it to be hidden within the anko mixture.
I know you’re probably wondering: Do you Eat The Leaf On Sakura Mochi?
I laughed out loud as it reminded me of the first time I tried Kashiwa Mochi at Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day festival back when I worked at the Japanese Cultural Center. I remember asking if the oak leaf surrounding the mochi was edible.
I was told by a Japanese friend that generally, if a leaf surrounds mochi, it is usually just a decoration meant to hold the rice. However, if the leaf is inside the wagashi, it can generally be eaten.
I now think next time I purchase that particular mochi, I will try to eat the oak leaf, as the leaves are now in the salad blend I’m purchasing for my diet.
The leaf by itself has a sort of musky, almost spicy taste. Similar to cardamom or Moroccan spices. The cherry blossom itself tastes a bit watery and almost pink. Is that a thing? Can a food taste like the color it is?
It is not necessarily sweet or bitter, and the sakura petal is a bit papery on the way down.
I have coffee made, which I plan on drinking after this review, but the traditional pairing of teas would have gone splendidly with this treat.
Eating the last morsel of the cake, I am very satisfied with the taste.
In the past, I’ve watched YouTubers trying cherry blossom tea and other treats at festivals and remarking that it tasted like salt. I tasted nothing salty about this, only sweetness and musk. It also left a really great aftertaste in my mouth.
Should You Seek Out Seasonal Sakura Sweets?
I’d like to try many more wagashi, but for now, we’ll leave this review here. Overall, I really enjoyed trying this traditional snack, and will not hesitate to do so again should the opportunity arise.
The review of Sakura Mochi wagashi will soon follow this one. Ideally, I’d like to bring more reviews of obscure snacks to the site. Who knows? A nice sakura-flavored green tea could be the kick needed to send that Japanese snacking experience just over the edge!
Have you tried cherry blossom-flavored snacks before? What is your favorite traditional Japanese wagashi to eat?
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Japanese snack reviews!
☆ In Asian Spaces ☆ Ephesians 6:12 ☆
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