There are different types of sweets found within wagashi including mochi and dango. At first glance these two desserts might seem identical; they're both a form of wagashi, chewy and sweet ...

Crystal Lee: This is rainbow dango, bite-sized orbs of colorful, tender mochi. In a process similar to taffy, it's made every day by hand along with a selection of other wagashi, or Japanese treats.

Meanwhile, leading convenience store chain Lawson Inc. began selling a bright blue “ramune mochi” (soda rice cake) six years ago with the aim of “making wagashi more accessible to younger ...