Begin Japanology
Season 5 Episode 21 - Confectionery
Various sweets first came to Japan from the West, but the Japanese put their own distinctive stamp on them. Today, this "Western-style confectionery" is an important part of Japanese culinary culture. The first Western confectionery that came to Japan was brought by Christian missionaries from Portugal and Spain in the mid-16th century. In the mid-19th century, after being closed off for centuries, Japan opened to foreign commerce. New confections poured in from the West, and original recipes were adjusted to suit Japanese tastes. In the last 50 years, Western-style Japanese confections have earned popularity and acclaim in the West, and Japanese chefs have won top prizes in the world's most prestigious confectionery competitions. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, we look at Japan's own brand of Western-style confectionery and what it reveals about Japanese culture.
Episodes in Season 5
Ekiden
28 min
Batteries
28 min
Cafes
28 min
Hot Water Bottles and Pocket Warmers
28 min
Ikebana
28 min
Excavators
28 min
Woods & Forests
28 min
Japanophiles - Dhugal Lindsay
28 min
Japanophiles - Richard Emmert
28 min
Japanophiles - Art Lee
28 min
Japanophiles - Philip Harper
28 min
Kabuki
28 min
Wild Vegetables
28 min
Horses
28 min
Massage Chairs
28 min
Shikoku Pilgrimage
28 min
Regional Fast Food
28 min
Department Stores
28 min
Kimonos
28 min
Aquariums
28 min
Confectionery
28 min
Dolls
28 min
Moss
28 min
High School Baseball
28 min
Planetariums
28 min
Japanophiles - Adam Booth
28 min
Japanophiles - Dave Spector
28 min
Japanophiles - Euan Craig
28 min
Shamisen
28 min
Crested Ibises
28 min
Abalone
28 min
Tokyo Station
28 min
Tokyo Skytree
28 min
Tokyo Bay
28 min
Potatoes, Taros, and Yams
28 min
Name Seals
28 min
Mushrooms
28 min
Vending Machines
28 min
Scissors
28 min
Satsuma Mandarins
28 min
Gift-giving
28 min
