Feb 25, 2015 - 1 min read

A Visit to Okashi no Shiro

"Sweets Castle," a confectionery dream in Nasu

By Selena Hoy

Community writer

Pastry chef Tadao Kaburagi explains the art of wagashi

Using white bean paste to make a sweet base

Different colors are created with natural dyes

Fall pampas grass in the garden of Okashi no Shiro

The custard-filled "moon cakes" are the factory's best seller

Okashi no Shiro, which means Sweets Castle, is a sweets factory in the Nasu Kogen area of Tochigi Prefecture. At the factory, which is located in a pretty, old-fashioned building, they churn out cakes and tasty morsels in front of your eyes, in both the western and Japanese confectionery tradition. In addition to a shop selling dozens of types of sweets, and the living factory where you can watch the cakes being made, Okashi no Shiro also offers various "experiences" such as a wagashi (Japanese confectionery) making course, as well as fruit picking in their gardens. The factory uses the fruit they grow on site in their sweets, and only uses fruit in season.