¡°You have big hands, so make it a little larger,¡± Kataoka-san said, referring to the piece of sweet mochi (glutinous rice cake) I¡¯d been shaping as dexterously as I could manage.
After stretching it out a little more, I again showed it to her. She nodded with approval. ¡°Now place the red-bean paste in the middle and stretch the mochi around it,¡± she coaxed patiently. I was in a wooden town house in the old capital of Kyoto trying my hand at making wagashi (traditional Japanese confections).
Kyoto¡¯s history and culture go back more than 1,000 years, and many regard it as the spiritual center of Japan. I was no stranger there, having visited many of its temples and shrines, strolled in many of its wonderful landscape gardens, partaken of its traditional food and more. However, this time I wanted to do something different; I wanted a more hands-on experience. In this city of artisans, I was sure I would find something.
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