Shingen２

Shingen mochi – a relatively common wagashi Japanese sweet similar to the more well-known warabi mocha – is a treat made from pounded rice lightly coated in roasted soybean flour (kinako) meant to be drizzled with syrup before consumption.

It comes in a plastic container which is then wrapped in a decorative plastic sheet and sealed with a small, flat spear-like utensil meant to skewer the mochi with while eating. That plastic sheet is also the key to the “proper” way of eating shingen mochi.

Unfortunately for anyone who has consumed shingen mochi until now, the manufacturer’s marketing department decided not to tell even one single person how to properly eat their product. Thankfully, a helpful YouTuber here in Japan has shared a video showing the correct way to eat this traditional sweet. Find out after the break.

Most folks just open the case, throw away the plastic sheet, drizzle the included syrup on top and go to town, making a spectacular sticky mess in the bargain. What you’re supposed to do is this:

By wrapping the mochi in the plastic sheet post-drizzle and giving it a delicate, even sensual massage for a few seconds, it apparently tastes better. Or something. We don’t even really know. We just learned this snack exists a few minutes ago.

Even if you can’t read Japanese, we think this convenient step-by-step guide for properly eating shingen mochi is fairly self explanatory, so be sure to memorize it and impress your Japanese friends the next time they treat you to some wagashi!

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Source: ITMedia