On February 11, 2024, RESOBOX East Village in New York City held a wagashi workshop featuring “Beniharuka,” a type of sweet potato grown by Minamihashi Shoji. RESOBOX has been involved in supporting this company’s expansion into the U.S. market, from organizing sales events to doing outreach with local eateries. Six men and women from New York City participated, challenging themselves with learning the intricate techniques behind making the traditional Japanese confections known as wagashi. 

The instructor for the workshop was Mari Matsuo, a wagashi workshop instructor who operates Atelier Temari in New York City. In addition to wagashi, she also offers classes on making beautiful decorative sushi rolls. She organizes each class with her students in mind, by using ingredients that participants can purchase in New York City, so that they can recreate the wagashi at home, and this makes her very popular.

 

During the class, the abundant nutritional value of Beniharuka and the meticulous processes employed by the farmers in Kagoshima were illustrated for the students. Everyone enjoyed spending time delving deeply into the world of wagashi, a category comprising many different unique sweet treats, including jellies, cookies, dumplings, and cakes.

Since 2021, RESOBOX has been entrusted with the goal of introducing Beniharuka to the United States by Kohira Corporation, a comprehensive trading company based in Kagoshima. Beniharuka is gaining increasing popularity worldwide due to its rich sweetness and high quality. Chefs and buyers who are interested in working with Beniharuka are encouraged to reach out to us.