"Rakugan" - Rice-Flour Confectionery

Traditional sweets used for tea ceremonies.

The kind of sweets served during tea ceremonies depends on the type of the tea that is being served. "Jo-Namagashi" are served with strong flavored tea, while other types are served with weak flavored tea. The most popular sweets to go with weak flavored tea are "Rakugan". These sweets are made with rice powder and sugar mixed and pressed together in a mold. These sweets can be found at confectionery shops all over Japan. There are some shops in Kanazawa that specialize in Rakugan.
There is another types of rakugan called the "Nama-Rakugan", which is drier. They can’t be preserved as long as the regular type.