Around 30 Ideas to Make ○○ More Fun [17]Making Japanese Sweets More Exciting
Introducing "Ideas to Make XX More Interesting" from a young art director at Dentsu Inc. This time, Mai Shibaya presents "Making Japanese Sweets More Interesting."
Creating modern wagashi using traditional techniques
──Why did you choose "Japanese sweets" as your theme?
Shibatani: A close friend I went to middle school, high school, and university with now works as a wagashi artisan at a long-established wagashi shop. We've always talked about wanting to work together on something when we grew up. Since this project allowed us to do anything we loved, I decided to ask that friend for help!
Wagashi have always depicted the scenery of the four seasons and are incredibly beautiful, but I felt they lacked the freedom found in Western confectionery. So this time, while using traditional wagashi techniques, I decided to depict seasonal landscapes unique to the modern era.
While I focused solely on the visual appeal of the wagashi, she went the extra mile, insisting they also be delicious to eat. The wagashi she meticulously tested and created for the shoot were all absolutely delicious. We shot on the photographer's balcony, and with the great weather and the tasty wagashi, it turned into a wonderfully relaxed and enjoyable shoot!
Here's an introduction to the ingredients used in the wagashi.
Sugi no Kaori
A dough made by kneading white bean paste (nerikiri) with sugar and gyuhi (glutinous rice cake), then wrapped using the "hari-bokashi/tsutsumi-bokashi" technique and cut one by one with special scissors. This was inspired by spring cedar pollen.
Night Journey
Using kinyokukan jelly—the most translucent confection made by boiling agar, sugar, and starch syrup—it expresses the headlights of cars shining in the clear, ultramarine summer night sky.
Autumn Dream
Using uiro, a steamed rice flour and sugar confection, we aimed for a more realistic skin texture by creating a skin with a smooth, sticky texture like human skin and allowing the orange bean paste to show through. It represents a belly full of delicious autumn foods.
Winter Hibernation
We used plenty of honey to create a dorayaki with a firm texture, sandwiching a cat made from nerikiri paste inside. By making the dorayaki thick, we depicted a cat nestled between cushions to keep warm.
──What are you interested in right now?
Shibatani: After working on a Nogizaka46 music video, I formed a music unit called Taiyo Computer with that production team. We planned to pursue independent activities outside of PV work, but haven't quite managed to make that happen yet. I want to really focus on that this year.
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Author
Shibatani Mai
Dentsu Inc.
Graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design, Department of Design. Recipient of the Spikes Asia Grand Prix, AdFest Gold, Good Design Award, Asahi Advertising Award, Mainichi Advertising Design Award, Nikkei Newspaper Advertising Award, Yomiuri Advertising Award, Transportation Advertising Grand Prix, and Dentsu Advertising Award.