Photo: Cacaogoto
Alchemy
Sweet
A Pioneering Blend of Cacao, Culture & Japanese Craft
Photo: Cacaogoto
Bridging Worlds: Yukari’s Artistry in Cacao & Wagashi
In a quiet corner of Japan, where the sprouting of young maple leaves signals spring’s end and the aroma of freshly picked sansho drifts along the breeze, Yukari first found her inspiration. Growing up alongside her grandparents, she absorbed the philosophy and technique underpinning wagashi—the refined, seasonal confections at the heart of Japanese tradition. But Yukari’s story doesn’t stop there: with a spirit of curiosity and courage, she ventured beyond familiar borders, immersing herself in the bean-to-bar chocolate world and ceremonial practice in Paris and Australia.
For Yukari, cacao is more than just chocolate; it is a “blessing from nature,” cherished as a fruit, integral to both her art and ethos.
She shares: “I realized that this ‘fruit aspect’ of cacao pairs beautifully with the spirit of wagashi, which cherishes the beauty of the seasons and brings out the best of each ingredient. My desire to express the aesthetic sensibility of Japanese traditional culture in a new form through cacao was what inspired me to combine the two.”
Shiso
(青紫蘇 / Ao-jiso)
Shiso, or green perilla, is a staple herb in Japanese cuisine, celebrated for its bright, herbal freshness. Its unique aroma and flavor profile—somewhere between mint and basil—make it a surprising but perfect partner for tropical cacao pulp in sweets. Yukari’s use of shiso to balance the lively acidity of cacao pulp exemplifies the art of harmonizing tradition with innovation.
The Art & Challenge
of Innovation
Using cacao pulp—a fresh, tropical, and rarely explored ingredient in Japanese wagashi—requires not just technical mastery but a daring, experimental heart. Yukari describes countless trials balancing flavor with structure, finding just the right harmony of acidity and sweetness to craft translucent kingyoku jellies or integrate aromatic aojiso (green perilla). Every new creation is both a risk and a revelation, as she notes: “Cacao pulp and kingyoku are surprisingly well-suited to each other. It was a delightful realization, and one of the most rewarding discoveries in my work so far.”
Yet hers is not merely a story of technique. The act of fusing cacao’s “fruit” character with the subtlety of Japanese sweets invites a conversation about art, nature, and cultural expression—a dialogue that transcends language and borders.
.png)
Discover more with Cocoa Insider Magazine—your passport to the origins, stories, and science of cacao and chocolate.
Subscribe to join a global community and get exclusive access to interviews, features, and in-depth research.