Sakura Wagashi, a Taste of Early Spring
A sakura wagashi set from SUGOi Sweets, a local artisan chocolate shop, brought the gentle feeling of early spring before the blossoms arrived.
Yesterday, I shared a sweet little moment with my friends, ordering from SUGOi Sweets, an artisan chocolate and confection shop in Chicago.
We had pre-ordered their Sakura Cherry Blossom Series —and it felt like tasting spring before it fully arrived.
In Japan, March 21st marks the spring equinox. It’s the season when spring traditions take place—like graduation ceremonies, spring holidays, and of course, the long-awaited blooming of cherry blossoms. Here in Chicago, though, the skies were overcast and the air still cold enough for a down jacket. But this wagashi set quietly whispered, “Spring is on its way!”
Some of the pieces were infused with real cherry blossoms. The agar jelly and nerikiri carried that delicate sakura aroma—floral, gentle, almost nostalgic. It brought back memories of sakura-flavored soft serve I had in Japan last spring.
Pretty to look at, lovely to taste— Each piece felt like a small, edible artwork, capturing the feeling of the season just before it arrives.