Wagashi Day
June 16 every year
The story
Wagashi are Japan’s traditional sweets, crafted with seasonal colors, plant-based ingredients, and a painter’s eye for form. Soft nerikiri pastes shaped like blossoms, translucent kanten jellies, steamed manju, and delicate rice-flour confections accompany tea and mark the turning of the year. Bean paste, agar, sugar, and rice flour become landscapes of spring petals, summer greens, autumn leaves, and winter snow. Wagashi Day on June 16, promoted by the national confectioners’ association, links modern celebration to older customs of offering sweets for health and good fortune.
These sweets are meant to be admired as much as eaten. Artisans spend years learning how to knead, tint, and sculpt paste so a single piece can evoke a season in the palm of the hand. Paired with bitter matcha, wagashi complete the balance of Japanese tea hospitality.
On Wagashi Day, visit a wagashi shop, choose a seasonal sweet, and enjoy it slowly with tea. Try a simple homemade ohagi or manju, or gift a boxed assortment to someone you care for. Celebrating wagashi is celebrating Japan’s edible seasons, shaped with patience and beauty.
About Wagashi Day
- When is Wagashi Day?
- Wagashi Day is June 16 every year. In 2026, Wagashi Day falls on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- When is Wagashi Day in 2026?
- In 2026, Wagashi Day is Tuesday, June 16, 2026 (June 16 every year).
- Which country is Wagashi Day from?
- Wagashi Day is on the Japan Food Holidays calendar.
- Is today Wagashi Day?
- No. Today is not Wagashi Day. It returns on June 16 every year. In 2026, that is Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- How do you celebrate Wagashi Day?
- There isn’t a single official way to celebrate. Read the story on this page, then cook or order wagashi. The iOS app’s Where to Eat can help you find wagashi nearby — this website does not list restaurants.
- Does Wagashi Day happen every year?
- Yes. Wagashi Day recurs on June 16 every year.