Excellence Award

My grandson said "The design is nice" to the Japanese sweets I brought as a souvenir.

Chiba Prefecture, Teens and under, Love Flower
Of course the taste is great, but the colors and shapes of Japanese sweets are also visually appealing!

Award of Excellence

My clumsy father's letter is a chestnut bun

Maru-san, Tokyo, 20s
My father is not a very talkative person, but he occasionally sends me Japanese sweets. I think that is his way of showing his concern and support.

Wife's challenge to give up sweets: Ohagi wins

Popou, Iwate Prefecture, under 10s
My wife, who is trying to lose weight, naturally reaches for the rice balls in front of her.

I broke my teeth after eating rice crackers and my heart was broken.

Mr. Katsuto, Hokkaido, 50s

Eating Japanese sweets, feelings are heavy, and Leon is piling up

Chiba Prefecture, 60s, Mi-chan
Every day, Leon-san gives me Japanese sweets, and my weight and feelings are in perfect proportion.
Every day, my cheeks loosen up as my feelings grow

Apparently, my wife saw me stealing food.

Kevin Coss, Hiroshima Prefecture, 60s
The mitarashi dango looked delicious, but I thought I was eating it secretly, but my wife saw me eating it (T_T)

Chiba TV Award

Red bean skins cling to my white teeth

Aichi Prefecture, 60s, Murasaki Shikifu
After eating sweets with bean paste inside, we recommend checking your mouth in the mirror.

My wife's smooth and chunky bean paste, two-sugar style

Gifu Prefecture, 60s, Makin
He is a two-way player, just like Shohei Ohtani.

Mitarashi is a honey trap in front of the cash register

Katsuhiko Takenaga, 60s, Kanagawa Prefecture
As I was about to pay, I looked to the side and saw a mitarashi dango that looked like it was saying "Please buy some."
He stares at me as if to say

Honorable Mention

My wife ate the Japanese sweets we had been waiting in line for three hours.

Okiraku, 60s, Yamagata Prefecture
It got eaten while I was storing it (crying)

Self-care for stress with your favorite idol and sweets

Umehana, Fukuoka Prefecture, 50s
When I feel stressed, I find relief by eating my favorite food and sweets. It's important to cheer yourself up!

Small hands, full of kindness, we share them in half

Aichi Prefecture, 60s, Yukiman-san
My grandson shares his Japanese sweets with me because I love them. It's such a kind gesture.

Stealing the edge of the yokan and smiling

Moegi, Aichi Prefecture, 20s
This is a moment from everyday life, where someone secretly snacks on yokan without their family noticing, enjoying the sweetness and small sense of happiness.

Reserve Japanese sweets for the Buddhist altar.

Tochigi Prefecture, 40s, Banker
Since I was a child, I loved the sweets offered at Buddhist altars, such as rakugan and wasanbon, and I often asked my grandmother for some.

Sakuramochi Leaf Controversy Spring Battle

Shoji Masuda, Hyogo Prefecture, 30s
People are divided into those who eat the leaves and those who don't. Some people even mistake it for kashiwamochi.

You say you're scared of manju

Saitama Prefecture, 40s, Momonotane
It's a roundabout confession of love

New era: drinking warabimochi and eating matcha

Hokkaido, 40s, Yukimochi
It used to be common to drink matcha and eat warabimochi, but with the Reiwa era in Japan, Japanese sweets have also evolved, so how far can we keep up?

You're a people-pleaser, you say you like mitarashi

Ikachan, Tokyo, 20s
The guy I used to like didn't even look at me and was obsessed with visiting Japanese sweet shops.

Evaluating customers based on the thickness of their yokan

Kanagawa Prefecture, 70s or older, Itoguruma-san
My father would judge customers by the thickness of their yokan.

Pee-chan peeks out of the bag and my face brightens (I can do my best)

Hallelujah, Tokyo, 20s
I brought Pee-chan home with me, full of energy for the new year. Her adorable appearance in unexpected moments of everyday life gives me strength for the rest of my life.

As you stuff your face with strawberry mochi, your cheeks turn red

Peter, a traveler in his 30s from Chiba Prefecture
I wrote a haiku about the sweet experience of youth, blushing as I watched the girl I liked munching on strawberry mochi.

Playing house with Pimona as a doll

Mr. Udoi Katsuyo, Chiba Prefecture, 60s
My grandson was playing with Peemona and talking to himself, and it was so cute and made me smile.

The bitter persimmon eventually becomes sweet as I grow older

Kyoto Prefecture, 70s and older, Michikaze Murasakino
As persimmons ripen and become sweeter, the taste of things changes over time.

Sharing a bun with my wife

Yamame-san, Kanagawa Prefecture, 70s or older, middle-aged
My wife and I both received one, but it was so big that we each ate half. Since we have a sweet tooth, it was a wonderful gift.