JAPAN'S CLOUD-LIKE MOCHI EMPIRE BRINGS ITS ROYAL HERITAGE TO MANILA

From Tokyo to Hong Kong, Seoul to Sydney, crowds gather daily outside Warabimochi Kamakura's sleek storefronts.

- BEA TRINIDAD

They're waiting for a confection that's flooded social media feeds across Asia: translucent, cloud-like pieces of warabimochi that shimmer under shop lights, with a texture that will change how we think about mochi. While common mochi comes with filling or ice cream, this centuries-old Japanese treat offers something entirely different—and it's finally arrived in Manila.

A SNACK FIT FOR AN EMPEROR

"The name Warabimochi Kamakura isn't about a place—it's about an era," explains Victoria Riingen, general manager of Warabimochi Kamakura Philippines. "During the Kamakura period, this was a treat reserved for royalty. It was the princess' favorite indulgence." Even Emperor Daigo of the Heian period loved it.

Unlike typical mochi made from glutinous rice, warabimochi's distinctive texture comes from bracken starch, dusted with either kinako (roasted soybean powder) or matcha. The result is a delicate confection that melts effortlessly in your mouth—soft yet chewy, with a subtle sweetness enhanced by its nutty coating or the deep notes of green tea.