Murakami Wagashi “Wari-gori”

Murakami Wagashi, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Kanazawa with more than 100 years of history, makes this beautiful and delicate dry sweet. Made simply with agar, sugar, and only the underground water from Mt. Hakusan, it has a gentle flavor that lets the quality of the ingredients shine through.

Using a traditional method in which the agar is dried over six days, it creates a two-layer texture, crisp on the outside and moist inside. The finishing touch is done by artisans, who break each piece by hand. By deliberately making them uneven rather than uniform, it is designed so you can enjoy differences in texture when you put them in your mouth.

In addition to the plain flavor, there are four varieties: “Kanazawa Yuzu Wari-gori,” with the refreshing aroma of fragrant Kanazawa yuzu; “Kaga Bocha Wari-gori,” flavored with Kaga Bocha, a traditional roasted tea from Kaga; and “Noto Salt Cider,” which blends Noto salt made from clean seawater with refreshing cider in an exquisite balance. The lineup ranges from single 25g bags sold individually to gift boxes containing 6 to 40 bags. With a relatively long shelf life of 60 days from production, it also makes a perfect souvenir.