Column: 5 designs of wagashi

In the Edo period, confectionery began to be given elegant names and designs based on classical literature and the four seasons. For example, a variety of elaborate designs and names have come to be used for yokan.
There are many ways to interpret the origins of the names and the relationship between the names and the designs, but this column introduces five items from a sample book of confectionery called Onmushigashizu [を二-85] in the former collection of SAKAKIBARA Yoshino (1832-1881), along with waka poems that were probably well known at the time.

Naniwazu

Naniwazu ni sakuya kono hana fuyugomori
    ima wa harube to sakuya kono hana

[Translation] Ume blossoms in Naniwazu, they are in bloom because it is already spring.

Naniwazu is said to have been located in Osaka Bay, and “kono hana” are ume blossoms. It is said that “Naniwazu” refers to this poem, and it was also familiar as the first step of calligraphy.

Tatsutagawa

Tatsutagawa momiji midarete nagarumeri
    Wataraba nishiki nakaya taenan

[Translation] The autumn leaves are flowing scattered in Tatsutagawa River. If I crossed the river, would the brocade of the leaves be cut off halfway through?

Tatsutagawa, a river which flows through Nara Prefecture, is famous for its autumn leaves, and was often written about in waka poems. It is said that the pattern of autumn leaves scattered on the running water is called “Tatsutagawa” after this poem in Kokin wakashu.

Kurabuyama

Ume no hana niou harube wa Kurabuyama
    yami ni koyuredo shirukuzo arikeru

[Translation] In the spring when ume blossoms are in full bloom, even if I cross Kurabuyama, whose name means “a dark mountain,” I can clearly tell where the ume blossoms are by their fragrance.

This poem is written by KINO Tsurayuki. “Kurabuyama” means “dark mountain.” The scent of the ume blossoms drifting in the dark was sometimes the subject of poetry. This association is probably the reason why the “Kurabuyama” design has a pattern of ume blossoms.

Shirakumo

Oshinabete hana no sakari ni narinikeri
    Yama no ha goto ni kakaru shirakumo

[Translation] Everywhere in the world is in the height of cherry blossoms. The edges of every mountain appear to be covered with white clouds.

This is a poem by Saigyo that represents the mountain cherry blossoms in full bloom as white clouds. In the design, a cherry blossom is floating in the sky like a white cloud.

Yoshinogawa

Yoshinogawa kishi no yamabuki sakinikeri
    Mine no sakura wa chirihatenran

[Translation] Yoshino River is in full bloom with kerria on the bank. The cherry blossoms on the mountaintop have probably already fallen.

This poem by FUJIWARA no Ietaka describes looking at kerrias blooming on the riverbank and imagining that mountain cherry blossoms around the top of the mountain have fallen. The cherry blossoms in the pattern may be about to fall. The design uses sparse petals.

These types of designs and names starting in the Edo period can still be found today. There is room for other interpretations of the five designs introduced above, but it may also be the charm of wagashi to enjoy the scenes evoked by the names and designs.

Next Part 2:
Traditional events and
customs involving wagashi