Wagashi in New York

One thing that brings me great joy is to learn about different cultures and customs. One culture that I am particularly interested in is Japanese. It probably comes from my childhood, growing up in the 90s there were a lot of shows that had Japanese influences. One show that I will always be a die hard fan of, Ninja Turtles, had influenced not only my interest in animation and storytelling as a child but also Japanese culture since their backstory has roots in Japan. About ten months ago I found out that we got this channel called NHK World. It airs programs focused on Japanese culture. It has become my latest obsession and I love it!!! One program featured a Japanese confectionary called "Wagashi" This treat is not only visually stimulating but also displays the delicate artistry that goes into hand crafting each one. Thinking I'd never get a chance to try Wagashi because a trip to Japan was not in the foreseeable future, I just assumed this was out of my reach. However, when I found out I was going to New York, for some reason I decided to type in google "Wagashi in NYC" just thinking NY has everything and what do you know there was a place right down from Rockefeller Plaza. Minamoto Kitchoan, is this beautiful little shop at 608 5th Ave. Everything looked fresh and delicious. Before leaving home I checked out their website and decided to try a "Tsuya" It was really good. I never thought of red beans in a desert before but it was great.
-DM

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