Signs of the seasons, from rainbows to cherry blossoms, have never looked as good, or tasty, as these breathtaking nerikiri desserts.

Japan has always been of the mind that food should not only be pleasing to the palate, but a feast for the eyes as well. That philosophy is doubly strong when it comes to desserts and confectioneries, since when you’re eating for entirely discretionary reasons, the experience should be enjoyable in as many facets as possible.

But even by those lofty standards, Hiroyuki Sanno (@wagashi_sanchan on Twitter) is operating on a whole other level. A specialist in traditional Japanese sweets, Sanno is especially adept at nerikiri. Nerikiri are made from a mixture of extra-soft mochi, called gyuhi, which is mixed with shiroan white sweet bean paste to form a delicious yet malleable canvas.

Arguably Sanno’s most amazing nerikiri creation is the one you see here, called yohanabi, or “evening fireworks.”

The almost ethereal color is achieved by using an incredibly thin layer of uncolored nerikiri as a wrapping for the more boldly colored core of the morsel. As the colors pass through the translucent coating, they take on a dreamlike quality, filling you with a sense of summer nostalgia before you take a bite.

In making the yohanabi, as well as many other types of nerikiri treats, Sanno uses something called a sankakubera (literally “triangle spatula”), a unique rolling pin-like tool.

Naturally, someone this talented has plenty of other mesmerizing designs as well. Like many gourmet professionals in Japan, Sanno regularly takes inspiration from the seasonal flora and weather, and with early summer being the rainy season in Japan he’s also made edible salutes to rainbows…

…hydrangeas…

…irises…

…and even raindrops themselves.

More abstract, but no less beautiful, is Sanno’s take on the July 7 Tanabata, or “star festival” celebration.

And of course, any roundup of Japanese artistic motifs has to include at least a few cherry blossom entries…

…but once again, Sanno goes above and beyond by capturing the achingly gorgeous moment when a sakura petal falls onto the surface of the water, sending ripples out in all directions.

Really, there’s only one thing not to like about Sanno’s sweets, which is that he doesn’t have a standing shop where you can walk in and buy them wherever you like. Instead, he goes from one event or hosting venue to another, making a special batch just for those customers that show up before packing up and moving on to the next. In August, he’ll be at the Atelier Ferris cafe in Gifu (his home prefecture) on August 2, but Sanno also goes abroad to share his creations with the world, so if you’re lucky, perhaps one day soon he’ll be bringing his amazing nerikiri to you.

Related: Atelier Ferris
Source: Twitter/@wagashi_sanchan, IT Media
Images: Twitter/@wagashi_sanchan
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Follow Casey on Twitter, where Japanese desserts and fireworks are two of his favorite things.