| Warabimochi (蕨餅, warabi-mochi) is a wagashi (Japanese confection) made from warabiko (bracken starch) and covered or dipped in kinako (sweet toasted soybean flour).[1][2][3] Kuromitsu syrup is sometimes poured on top before serving as an added sweetener.[4] Warabimochi is a traditional Japanese dessert that is believed that its ancient origins dating back to the Heian period (794-1185) in Japan, and it was a popular delicacy among the aristocracy. It was one of the favorite treats of Emperor Daigo.[3] Hayashi Razan's "Heishin kikō (Travelogue of 1616) [...], which is considered to be the first travel diary to mention food on the road," highlighted Warabimochi as did other Tōkaidō travel guides in the 1600s.[5] The dessert became more widespread during the Edo period (1603-1868) when it was served in tea houses as part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.[6][7] It is now popular in the summertime, especially in the Kansai region and Okinawa, and it is often sold from trucks, similar to an ice cream truck in Western countries.[3] |
