A Sweet Tradition: Japanese Wagashi

with Shoji Yamaguchi of Suetomi from Kyoto

Friday, October 4th, 2024

6:00 - 7:00 PM EDT

Hosted in person at:

The Foundry: Red Room

101 Rogers St, Cambridge, MA 02142

$45 General Admission / $35 JSB members

We are pleased to present a special wagashi event as part of our celebrations of the 65th anniversary of the Kyoto-Boston Sister City partnership this year. Wagashi is a type of traditional Japanese confection that is often served with tea and is made from plant-based ingredients such as mochi, anko, and fruit. Wagashi are painstakingly crafted with an emphasis on aesthetics and use cooking methods that pre-date Western influence in Japan.

We are honored to present a very special opportunity to observe a master wagashi maker right in Boston! Shoji Yamaguchi is coming from Kyoto, Japan to demonstrate live wagashi methods and speak on topics such as the importance of seasonality in the art of wagashi making. 

He is representing the famous wagashi store, Suetomi, which is well known for their dedication to heartfelt, non-mass-produced sweets in Japan for over 130 years. Participants will be able to ask him questions and will be served tea and samples of small wagashi made by Yamagushi-san. Please note that you will not be served the specific wagashi being made in the demonstration. 

Please take advantage of this rare chance to see a popular traditional wagashi maker in person! Limited space available. This event is age 16+, intended for adults. This is a fundraising event for JSB thanks to the generosity of Suetomi.

About the Speaker:

Shoji Yamaguchi (山口 祥二)

Born in Kyoto in 1960, Shoji Yamaguchi graduated from Doshisha University in 1983. He joined Suetomi in 1991 and studied under his father, Tomizo. In 2009, he was in charge of desserts for banquets at Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse in Monaco. Since the same year, he has been giving lectures and workshops on kyogashi at the Japanese Cultural House in Paris (Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris) every year. He has dedicatedly worked to promote the tradition of kyogashi both in Japan and overseas. He is also a part-time lecturer at Doshisha Women's College and Otani University. 

Suetomi Website

Suetomi is a traditional Japanese wagashi store in Kyoto, Japan that has been around for more than 130 years. Founded in 1893, and currently represented by Shoji Yamaguchi, the goal of the company has been to make sweets that guide  customers to a "world of dreams and fun." Suetomi continues to uphold traditional methods cultivated by their predecessors and strives to make heartfelt, non-mass produced sweets that customers can enjoy, not just through taste but through the pleasure of seeing colors, shapes, and playful themes. In order to provide the best possible hospitality, they maintain a strict eye on their products and strive to constantly improve the quality of customer service. 

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