Japanese Sweets, Made Safely and Deliciously by Kids Alone! The Second Installment in the Popular Library Children's Cooking Book Series, "Waku Waku Wagashi: Made by Kids Alone," Released June 25th.

Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd. released the book "Waku Waku Wagashi: Made by Kids Alone" (Author: Akiko Hara) on June 25, 2026.

Explanation

I want to make Japanese sweets too! Packed with stories about Japanese sweets related to annual events and life rituals!

This is the definitive second installment in children's confectionery books! Following "Waku Waku Baked Sweets: Made by Kids Alone" (Author: Akiko Hara), which ranked 3rd in the elementary school division of the 2025 fiscal year Nippan Selection Center Library Ranking, this long-awaited book answers the many requests for "I want to make Japanese sweets too!" It is also full of stories about Japanese sweets related to annual events such as Hinamatsuri and the Mid-Autumn Festival, and life rituals such as Okuizome, Issho-mochi, and Shichi-Go-San!

Because they are Japanese sweets, marks for "with and without" wheat flour, eggs, and dairy products are also included.

Table of Contents

Various interesting trivia

☆ Yokan, Monaka, Tokoroten... How do you read them?

☆ Why do the same Japanese sweets have different names?

☆ What is the relationship between Japanese sweets and matcha?

☆ Japanese sweets that originated in Europe?

Ogura Toast, Ogura Toast with Strawberry Condensed Milk

Dorayaki, Fresh Dorayaki

Daifuku, Strawberry Daifuku

Treasure box-like Kingyokukan

Kuro-mitsu Kinako Ice Cream / Shiruko in Monaka

Author Information

Akiko Hara (Hara Akiko)

Confectionery culture researcher. Studied abroad at a US high school. Studied cultural anthropology with a focus on food at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. After working at the Japan Patent Office, she changed careers. She primarily introduces American confectionery and food culture, and also develops recipes for companies and provides information to the media. She has a deep knowledge of Japanese sweets and has been covering them for over 20 years. Her books include "Waku Waku Baked Sweets: Made by Kids Alone" (Tokyo Shoseki), "American Confectionery Encyclopedia" (Seibundo Shinkosha), "American Regional Confections" (PARCO Publishing), "American Snacks: Recipes for a Year of Living and Seasons" (Shufu to Seikatsusha), and "American Sweets and Mysteries" (Genshobo), among many others.

HP: https://haraakiko.com/

Contents

● Before you start making

Tools frequently used in this book

Ingredients frequently used in this book

How to measure ingredients

Recipes using heat

Grooming

Confirm the flow of making Japanese sweets

● After you finish making

Before eating

After eating

Finally

Chapter 1: Let's make the hero of Japanese sweets: Anko!

First step to homemade anko, boiled azuki beans

Making chunky anko by simmering boiled azuki beans

Anko from edamame? Zunda an

Anko from pumpkin!? Pumpkin an

Instant Shiruko,

Instant Shiruko with Pumpkin An Topping

Ogura Toast,

Ogura Toast with Strawberry Condensed Milk Topping

Various bite-sized Ohagi

Chapter 2: Everyone's favorite! Dango

Shiratamadango

Colorful Shiratamadango

Soy milk Shiratama Mitarashi Dango

Chewy! Gohan Dango

Chapter 3: Challenge popular Japanese sweets

Kanto-style Sakura Mochi

Dorayaki, Fresh Dorayaki

Obanyaki

Daifuku, Strawberry Daifuku

Warabi Mochi made with katakuriko (potato starch)

Sanshoku Imo Chakkin

Only 4 ingredients! Steamed cake

Chapter 4: Cool & Smooth Japanese Sweets

Anmitsu

Treasure box-like Kingyokukan

Smooth and silky! Mizu Yokan

Whole Lemon Jelly

Chapter 5: Let's enjoy leftover Japanese sweets too!

Manju Chazuke

Yokan Sandwich

Kuro-mitsu Kinako Ice Cream

Shiruko in Monaka

Trifle with Castella

Chocolate Dip for Okaki and Senbei

● Various Trivia

About Anko and Beans

About Japanese Tea

Japanese sweets with the same name but different ingredients?!

Stories about Japanese sweets with the same name but different names?!

Stories from Europe

About Kanji

● Annual Events and Japanese Sweets

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

● Life Rituals and Japanese Sweets

From Birth to Death

<Overview>

"Waku Waku Wagashi: Made by Kids Alone"

Boiling, Baking, Steaming, Setting: Happy Recipes

Author: Akiko Hara

Price: 2,420 yen (2,200 yen + 10% tax)

B5 variant, 96 pages

https://www.tokyo-shoseki.co.jp/product/books/81891/

Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd.

Tokyo Shoseki was founded in 1909 (Meiji 42). With the corporate philosophy of "Nurturing people through education and culture," we aim to foster unique and creative individuals who challenge the new era. We are the largest textbook publisher in Japan, with the highest number of textbooks published for elementary, junior high, and high schools. In recent years, we have also focused on the development and sale of educational digital content, such as digital textbooks. In addition, we engage in a wide range of business activities related to education and culture, including operating a comprehensive educational portal site, conducting various assessment projects such as academic and physical fitness tests, and publishing general books.