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…

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『淡墨桜』  錦玉、桜羊羹製   岐阜県本巣市にある淡墨桜をイメージした上生菓子です🌸  樹齢1500年以上の一本桜、国の天然記念物にも指定されその名前の由来は散り際に淡い墨色になるところからそう名付けられました🌸    さてさていよいよ、 今の仕事も後残りわずか カウントダウンに入りました☆    そしてこちらも近づいてきたー！  4月21日（日）、イベント出店します🍡✨  はぐくむまるくとマーケット 岐阜本巣市役所前かがやきドームでやってます。雨天決行っす🎶  上生菓子は何をやろうか考え中 もちろん上生菓子以外のお菓子も 販売しますよー☺  久しぶりにアレをやります🎶 アレです😎✨  お子様連れで楽しめるイベントで他にも出店者はたーくさんです。2枚目3枚目の画像に詳細を、、。   ーーーーーーーーー  #和菓子 #桜 #wagashi #Sakura #羊羹 #Japan #Japanese #Japanesefood #foodart #art #お菓子作り #和菓子好き #岐阜 #本巣市 #淡墨桜 #イベント出店 #あんこ #小豆 #主菓子 #インスタ茶道部 #茶道 #和スイーツ #和風 #綺麗 #可愛い #日本 #和菓子教室 #和菓子職人 #花見 #🌸

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…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.

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『水温む』  羽二重製 小豆粒餡  春になり寒さゆるんだ頃の水を表したお菓子です☺🌸  桜はまだ少し先ですが、アーモンドの花が咲き始めましたね🎶  ん？！アーモンドの花？？  ってなるかもですがアーモンドの花 一度調べて見てください🌸  少し大振りですが桜に似た花です✨    話は変わりますが最近の(？)流行りに乗ってTwitterをはじめました(笑)  Instagramでは拡散性が低いのでTwitterも若い世代に和菓子の魅力を知ってもらえるのは良いかと思って🍡✨  Instagramの投稿とそれ＋で他の事もツイートしていけたらと思います。プロフィールから飛べますのでこちらもよろしくお願いします<(_ _*)>  ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー #IG_JAPAN #tokyocameraclub #Spring #team_jp_ #ThaArtOfPlating #IGersJP #icu_japan #日本 #sdsfood #retro_Japan_ #ig_cameras_united #Japanfoodgopan #広がり同盟  #和菓子 #wagashi #上生菓子 #主菓子 #茶道  #インスタ茶道部 #Japaneseconfectionery #茶道部 #桜 #🌸 #nipponpic #水 #花 #餅 #綺麗 #可愛い #あんこ

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