Did Wagashi (Japanese Sweets) Originate from Mandarin Oranges?
The Japanese character for "kashi" (sweets) contains the character for "fruit," reflecting how, long ago, sweets referred simply to fruits and nuts.
According to a story recorded in the Nihon Shoki, the loyal retainer Tajimamori (written as Tajimamori in the Kojiki as well, with slightly different characters) was tasked by Emperor Suinin, the eleventh emperor, with finding "tokijiku no kagu no konomi" — a fruit said to grant eternal youth and long life. Tajimamori traveled for ten years through distant lands, including Tang China and the legendary "eternal land," and finally managed to bring the fruit home — only to find that Emperor Suinin had already passed away.
Overcome with grief before the emperor's mausoleum, Tajimamori wept bitterly and, in his sorrow, passed away himself.
That legendary fruit, "tokijiku no kagu no konomi," is said to have been tachibana, a type of citrus. The daidai orange used in traditional New Year decorations is descended from it, and it's also considered the root of what we know today as the mikan (Japanese mandarin orange).
Because of this legend, Tajimamori is enshrined as the god of confectionery at Kaso Jinja, a shrine within Kyoto's Yoshida Shrine, well known for its Setsubun festival.
KOTOSHINA Chaya's seasonal "Mikan Yōkan" is a fruit yōkan made generously with mikan juice, from a fruit that evolved from tachibana — the very citrus once brought back by envoys to Tang China during the Nara and Heian periods — kneaded together with white azuki beans.
Rich in vitamin C, mikan is well known for its benefits in preventing colds, its antioxidant properties, and its role in supporting protection against lifestyle-related diseases.
It's an ingredient that has been part of daily life in the old capital long before Western medicine ever arrived.
The sansho pepper used in our "Mikan & Sansho Wakocha" is a deciduous shrub belonging to the citrus family.
Sanshool, the compound responsible for its distinctive spiciness, is said to offer benefits for easing poor circulation and cold sensitivity, as well as supporting digestive health by helping prevent stomach pain, diarrhea, and indigestion.
A seasonal menu item meant to help you get through Kyoto's cold winter with a cup of tea alongside mikan, the very fruit at the roots of Japanese confectionery.
We hope you'll give it a try.
■ KOTOSHINA Chaya
【Mikan & Sansho Wakocha】
For more details, please see here
■ KOTOSHINA's Organic Wakocha
Organic Wakocha
Enjoy the delicate, natural umami of tea leaves nurtured by Japan's rich soil, with a soft flavor and aroma that keeps bitterness gently in check.
