Does anybody know about typical Japanese sweets?

[Coraline]

Hey guys,

a few years ago I visited a festival and ate some Japanese sweets. They were really tasty! But I didn't get the name. There was just a description telling something about typical Japanese rice 'something'... (can't remeber the whole description^^)

It would be great if anyone could tell me more about them!!

Greetings n_n

[edelweiss]

What did they look like? How were they served? What sort of consistency did they have? That could help narrow it down.

[Coraline]

well first of all: thanks for the fast answer!

I think there were 'different types'... some were white, soft and filled with a sugary something. ^^ I hope you know what I mean.
Others were kind of light brown or pink as well.
How they were served? ehm, on a plate?! :P You could choose one (or several) and then you got them on a serviette...

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Coraline

well first of all: thanks for the fast answer!

I think there were 'different types'... some were white, soft and filled with a sugary something. ^^ I hope you know what I mean.
Others were kind of light brown or pink as well.
How they were served? ehm, on a plate?! :P You could choose one (or several) and then you got them on a serviette...

It sounds like you are talking about gourmet marshmallows, which were a bit a fad recently.

[ColinHowell]

Originally Posted by MMM

It sounds like you are talking about gourmet marshmallows, which were a bit a fad recently.

Actually, I think she may be thinking of something more obvious, like daifuku or some other type of mochi, or maybe dango.

Coraline, you might want to look at the above links (all are English Wikipedia articles); those may give you a clue, or at least something interesting to read. (I didn't even know the proper name for daifuku, which I had simply thought of as "mochi", until I checked the mochi article.)

[edelweiss]

It could be some mochi variation but there are so many kinds.

I know Macaron have been very popular in Japan for a while too but they are not rice based.

[chiuchimu]

Originally Posted by Coraline

well first of all: thanks for the fast answer!

I think there were 'different types'... some were white, soft and filled with a sugary something. ^^ I hope you know what I mean.
Others were kind of light brown or pink as well.
How they were served? ehm, on a plate?! :P You could choose one (or several) and then you got them on a serviette...

You ate 'wagashi' meaning traditional Japanese sweets. The soft chewy outside is a special rice steamed then pounded into a dough called mochi. Mochi is usually white but can be dyed any color or be coated with varies accents. The inner sweet filling is usually an Azuki bean paste called anko. There are many delicious varieties including modern hybrids that use chocolate or fruits like kiwi.

[Coraline]

Originally Posted by uranius

Japanese sweets are all made of pig's fat.
Japanese sweets are very tasteless.

Well I don't know whether those sweets are made of pig's fat but for me they were very tasty! If you don't like them it's ok but then why do you answer to this thread?!

Anyway thanks a lot to the others!!
I looked up the suggestions you made and I found them!! I think at the festival they offered daifuko (or mochi or wagashi or however I should call them...^^)!
I even found some recipes... I will try to make them by myself. When I not successful I will ask again! n_n

[Qayin]

Wow, it's amazing that you could be fond of Japanese wagashi the first time you take it, I envy you.

It took me quite a long time to eat them deliciously because I'm not used to red bean's sweetness, but now I love taiyaki and dorayaki so much, may be I become like Doraemon! haha.

Yeah, I think what you're finding is some kind of mochi-based okashi too like daifuku. Isn't it easy for you to buy it in your country?

[Coraline]

Originally Posted by Qayin

Isn't it easy for you to buy it in your country?

Well maybe. I don't know. I searched for them and didn't get any. But it's possible that I looked at the wrong shops or places. ^^ I will look again and I think it will much easier now that I have a certain name!!

Probably I liked them so much because they were new to me and wanted to get to know everything that has something to do with Japan... ^^

What exactly is taiyaki? I saw some pictures but I can't imagine what it is and tastes like.