A person who is passionate about one thing. A person who is good with his/her hands. A person who is meticulous.

Making wagashi involves kneading flour, steaming and baking, and applying detailed decorations. The soft texture and delicate taste of the confectionery are of course important, but so is its beautiful appearance. Wagashi is also an integral part of the tea ceremony, a traditional Japanese cultural tradition, so the artisan must have an understanding of the wabi and sabi, the elegant world of the tea ceremony, and the sensitivity to express the changing seasons in the sweets. It is a rewarding experience when a customer says a confectionery is delicious or when a good confectionery is produced.

To become a Japanese confectioner, it is common to learn basic knowledge and skills in the culinary department of a high school or confectionery course at a vocational school, and then work at a Japanese confectionery store or confectionery company. At such schools, students can obtain qualifications that are advantageous for employment, such as "confectionery hygienist" and "confectionery manufacturing technician" while still in school. There are various types of confectionery stores, including those that mainly make handmade fresh confections, chain stores that mainly sell baked confections and yokans that can be kept for a long time, and stores that also handle Western confectionery. When you enter a shop, think about what kind of Japanese confectionery you want to make.

While large confectionary companies use mechanized equipment to make wagashi, traditional Japanese confectionary stores continue to make wagashi using machines while still maintaining the quality of handmade products. The part of wagashi that is made by hand will never disappear. Many foreigners who visit Japan are impressed by the artistic craftsmanship of wagashi, and the popularity of wagashi is growing overseas as well. Some long-established wagashi stores have overseas branches. It is likely that there will be more opportunities to work overseas as a "WAGASHI" craftsman, while continuing the traditions of Japan.

Starting salary is about 140,000-200,000 yen per month, depending on the store or manufacturer you work for. Bonuses average about 340,000 yen. As you gain experience, the amount will increase.

Some places offer two days off a week, but it depends on the place where you work, such as a store or a factory.

Japanese confectionery stores, confectionery companies, etc.

It's a chart that shows at a glance the main routes to getting a job as a Japanese confectioner!