Mitarashi Dango are traditional Japanese rice dumplings smothered in an irresistible sweet soy glaze. The dumplings are skewered on a bamboo stick and enjoyed all-year round. Make this tasty street snack right in your kitchen!
Mitarashi Dango (みたらし団子) is a type of dango, sweet rice dumplings, skewered onto a bamboo stick. Typically, three to five dumplings (traditionally five) are on a skewer and covered with a sweet soy sauce glaze.
It is fairly easy to make these dango at home. These chewy dumplings are mildly sweet and get a hint of char from grilling. When we brush the glaze over the dumplings, each bite is gooey, savory, and satisfying without being overly sweet. You’ll love the contrasting textures and flavors. They make a fun, delicious snack with a hot cup of green tea.
Also, check out my Hanami Dango and Shiratama Dango recipes!
Table of Contents
Origin of Mitarashi Dango
Mitarashi dango originated from the Kamo Mitarashi Tea House in Kyoto. The dango was thought to be made as an offering for the gods, and the name was given after the bubbles of the mitarashi (御手洗), a font of purifying water placed at the entrance of a famous shrine in the city. Street vendors in Kyoto started selling dango as a snack, which quickly gained popularity among many visitors.
Today you can find mitarashi dango being sold at supermarkets, convenience stores, and specialty sweet shops all over Japan.
Ingredients for Mitarashi Dango
To make an authentic dango, you will need the following ingredients.
- A combination of joshinko and shiratamako (or dangoko instead) – I’ll discuss further on this topic below.
- Boiling water
- The delicious sweet and savory glaze – soy sauce, sugar, mirin, potato starch (cornstarch)
How to Make Mitarashi Dango
The recipe card below guides you through with detailed instructions and step-by-step pictures, but here’s a quick summary.
Jump to Recipe- To make the dough: Combine the joshinko and shiratamako (or dangoko) with (hot) water. Knead the dough until combined. The dough should have a texture of our “earlobe” (yes, it’s a strange expression, but it’s commonly used when making wagashi, Japanese sweets). Divide the dough and form into round dango balls.
- To cook the dango: Cook the dango balls in boiling water. Transfer to iced water and skewer 3 balls into each bamboo stick.
- Give a nice char: Use a kitchen torch or a frying pan to give dango a nice char. You can skip this process, but I think dumplings with a grilled mark look more delicious.
- To make the glaze: Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and cook the sauce until thickened.
- To serve: Drizzle the glaze on top of the dango. Serve immediately.
Learn about Japanese Glutinous Rice Flour and Rice Flour
To achieve the perfect texture for the dumplings, you need to use the following types of rice flour:
- Johshinko (上新粉) – a flour made from Japanese short-grain rice (uruchimai うるち米).
- Shiratamako (白玉粉) – a flour made from Japanese short-grain glutinous rice (mochigome もち米).
I recommend an equal proportion: 50–50 ratio for both flours. The combination will give you the bouncy, chewy but not too sticky texture. If you like the chewy mochi-like texture, you can decrease joshinko to 40% and increase shiratamako to 60%.
But be careful not to increase the amount of shiratamako too much, as the dango will get too soft and the texture becomes more like shiratama dango. The mitarashi dango needs to be firmer than the shiratama dango.
When you go to a Japanese grocery store, you may find the third type of flour called dangoko (団子粉), a combination of rice flour and glutinous rice flour (the ratio is up to the manufacturer).
If you have trouble finding joshinko and shiratamako, dangoko might be your best option. The texture of dumplings made with dangoko is firmer and chewier.
Where to buy johshinko and shiratamako?
You can find these flours at your local Japanese grocery store or on Amazon. Some online Asian grocers may carry them.
Can I use mochiko in place of shiratamako and joshinko?
Although mochiko is similar to shiratamako, it’s produced differently. Mochiko yields a very soft and tender texture, which is unsuitable for dango. However, a reader has shared her experience of achieving good results by adding a spoonful of cornstarch to mochiko.
How about Thai glutinous rice flour?
Thai glutinous rice flour is not at all the same as Japanese glutinous rice flour. It will not turn out right at all. To make the dango, you’ll need the flours I listed above.
FAQs
Q: Is it possible to make the dango a few hours ahead?
Sure you can. However, If you like to keep the texture softer and tender for a longer time, you can add sugar to the flour at the start. The recommended amount of sugar is 20% of the flour’s weight which is 40 grams.
If you plan on making the sauce ahead of time, remove it from the heat before the consistency gets too thick because the moisture will evaporate and thicken the sauce as it cools.
Q: If I make too much, can I store the leftover sweet soy sauce?
Yes. You may store it in the refrigerator for 2~3 days or freeze it. Reheat it in the microwave or heat it up in a pot to enjoy it again.
More Traditional Japanese Desserts & Sweets To Enjoy
- Hanami Dango
- Green Tea Mochi
- How to Make Mochi with a Stand Mixer
- Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku)
- Tsukimi Dango
- Homemade Sweet Red Bean Paste(Anko)
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Mitarashi Dango
Ingredients
For the Dumplings Using Joshinko and Shiratamako
- ⅔ cup joshinko (Japanese rice flour) (上新粉; made with short-grain rice; see Notes for details; sold at Amazon)
- ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) (白玉粉; made with short-grain glutinous rice; see Notes for details; sold at Amazon; or substitute mochiko)
- ⅔ cup boiling water (joshinko requires hot water)
For the Dumplings Using Dangoko
- 7 oz dangoko (Japanese rice dumpling flour) (団子粉; found at Japanese grocery stores)
- ⅔ cup water
For the Sweet Soy Glaze
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- ⅔ cup water (⅔ cup minus 2 tsp, to be precise)
- 2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients for the dumplings. Joshinko (上新粉) is flour made with Japanese short-grain rice and shiratamako (白玉粉) is flour made with short-grain glutinous rice; they are different from other Asian varieties. For more details, see Notes at the end of the recipe card. Joshinko and shiratamako are pictured on the left and dangoko (団子粉) is pictured on the right. Whichever you decide to use, the instructions below are the same.
- Gather the ingredients for the sweet soy glaze. Soak the bamboo skewers in water. You can start boiling a large pot of water on low heat (see Step 8).
To Make the Rice Dumplings
- Combine ⅔ cup joshinko (Japanese rice flour) and ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) in a bowl. (If you‘re making the dumplings using dangoko, add 7 oz dangoko (Japanese rice dumpling flour) instead to a bowl.) Using chopsticks, mix it all together until well blended.
- Stir in some of the ⅔ cup boiling water, a little bit at a time, while mixing with chopsticks. (Or, stir in some of the ⅔ cup water (cold) for the dangoko, a little bit at a time.) Please note: You can always add more water so go with a small addition. The dough should be on the dry side.
- When the flours start to stick together and eventually form clumps, stop adding water. Using your hands, combine the dough into one ball.
- Knead until the dough becomes smooth. The texture is like squeezing an “earlobe“ (that’s how we describe the tenderness of this type of mochi in Japanese).
- Form the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Then divide each piece into 2 smaller pieces. You will have 16 equal-sized pieces of dough. I always like to weigh mine. Each ball should be 20 grams. You may have some extra dough, but that’s okay.
- Shape each of the dough pieces into a smooth, round ball. If the dough is cracking or has some wrinkles, dip the tip of your finger in water and apply a small amount of water to the cracked area to smooth it out. You now have 16 equal-sized dumplings.
- Just before cooking the dumplings, prepare a bowl of iced water. Once the water in the pot is boiling, gently drop each dumpling into the pot with a smooth, continuous arm motion to avoid splashing. Cook them all at once. Stir the balls occasionally so they keep their round shape and don‘t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- The dumplings will stay near the bottom of the pot at first, but they will float once cooked. When they rise to the top, boil them for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- Transfer the dumplings to the bowl of iced water.
- Once the dumplings have cooled, drain them well and transfer them to a tray. Tip: Wet the tray so the dumplings don‘t stick.
- Skewer three pieces onto a bamboo skewer. Continue with the rest of the dumplings and set aside.
To Make the Sweet Soy Glaze
- In a cold saucepan, add 4 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, ⅔ cup water, and 2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch. Do not turn on the heat yet.
- Mix all the ingredients together well until smooth. The potato starch/cornstarch will become lumpy if you heat the sauce without stirring beforehand. Now, turn on the heat and continue to whisk.
- Keep whisking continuously, as the mixture can thicken suddenly.
- When the sauce thickens, remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the sauce to a container or bowl. If you are making it ahead of time, remove the sauce from the heat before the consistency gets too thick. The moisture will continue to evaporate as it cools and thicken the sauce.
To Serve
- Optional: Sear and enhance the flavor with a kitchen butane torch. You can also grill them over direct heat (if you are going to place them on a wire rack, grease it first, as the dumplings tend to stick). You can use a broiler to char the dumplings or use a nonstick frying pan to pan-fry the surface of the dango.
- Pour the sweet soy glaze on top of the Mitarashi Dango and serve immediately.
To Store
- Option 1: After you form the dough into round dumplings, you can store the uncooked dumplings in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze up to a month. When ready to use, boil the frozen dango without defrosting first.
- Option 2: After boiling and cooling the dumplings, pat them dry and pack them so they don‘t touch each other into an airtight container. Freeze up to a month. When ready to use, microwave or boil them until warm.
Hi! Is Joshinko same as regular rice flour, eg KTC rice flour? Thanks!
Hi Anna! It’s different, as KTC rice flour is not made from Japanese short grain rice. I heard it’s not the same…
Is Thai sweet rice flour the same as Shiratamako flour? I am having a hard time finding it anywhere.
Hi Staci! Unfortunately, it’s not the same. 🙁 Thai sweet rice flour is made from long grain and as you may know the rice texture and taste are different from short grain. Some readers have tried it using it. Some say it works (but they don’t know the real Japanese versions to compare) and some say it is not the same thing. So… it’s up to you… you can make it, but the result might be disappointing if you have tried the real dango before. I’ll try to find an online source that can carry shiratamako. If/When I do, I’ll share the link in all my posts.
This was easy to make! The sauce was really tasty. I think I must have done something wrong since they were really dense, so I’ll have to try again soon!
Hi Hollis! Thanks for trying this recipe! I’m glad the sauce was good. Hmmm what exact ingredients did you use? I hope you got the glutinous rice flour too, not just rice flour only (which makes it hard). 🙂
What brand of shoyu do you use? Chinese light sauce will do?
Hi Pei! Japanese soy sauce and Chinese soy sauce taste different. Please try using the Japanese one for this recipe. 🙂
Do you need to add powdered sugar so that it won’t become grainey, or does regular granulated sugar work when preserving the tenderness of the dango?
Hi Rebecca! We usually use regular sugar, not powder sugar. Yes, sugar release moisture so it helps the dango softer/tender to preserve for a longer time. 🙂
I was a little intimidated to make this but it worked out so well! I couldnt find Joshinko so I used a Thai rice flour, and I only had Mochiko so I added a spoonful of cornstarch to it as suggested by another website. Then I kept squeezing my earlobe to feel for the right texture! I was very happy they didn’t disintegrate upon boiling and they were very good. I’m going to try other shops to find the right flours now that I know I can make them. Thank you very much for your recipes! My family loves ‘your’ cooking!
Hi Alanna! I’m so glad you tried this recipe and your dango came out well! Thanks so much for your detailed feedback, too. 🙂 I’m really happy that your family is enjoying YOUR Japanese food! xoxo
Good recipe, the directions are very clear. Mine turned out kind of bitter, could it be because I overcooked them?
Hi Maria! Thank you for trying this recipe! The glutinous rice flour and rice flour won’t become bitter by the way we prepare. It’s possible the mitarashi sauce got caramelized too far and burnt?
Hi! i just bought some of these from a grocery store and found them in the refrigerator section. was wondering if that’s the best way to store them if i’m going to eat them in the next few days? or should i freeze them like you mentioned? i’ll heat them up (microwave maybe?) when i want to eat them…
Hi Janelle! In Japan, these dango packages are placed near cashier counters at room temperature because they are sold fast. Knowing that it’s not sold as fast, they are probably stored in the refrigerator section in the Japanese grocery stores outside of Japan. I would recommend keeping it chilled until you’re ready to eat either on the day of or next day (but you should consume soon). We don’t eat these hot, so take out from the fridge 10 minutes before you serve and enjoy. 🙂 Oh and you can freeze these too and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Just one last thing – when you make these homemade, we do not want to put in the refrigerator because dango made with glutinous rice flour and rice flour get hard/tough. These storebought ones have special sweeteners (only available commercial cooking) that maintain soft even they are chilled.
I’m confused about the flours. I have Mochiko sweet rice flour – is that Johshinko or Shiratamako? I also can’t go to a Japanese food market right now (coronavirus quarantine) so what brand do I buy on Amazon for the other type of flour I do not already have?
Hi Cheryl! I explained in the blog post, but basically here are all types:
Shiratamako – sweet rice flour/glutinous rice flour (this rice makes mochi)
Joshinko – a type of rice flour (the same rice we eat every day)
Dangoko – a combination of rice flour and glutinous rice flour (up to company what ratio they use)
Mochiko is a type of sweet rice flour (or glutinous rice flour – same thing, different names), but it yields softer and tender mochi texture, too soft for dango.
Now, most Japanese dango recipes use either Dangoko (dango flour) or a combination of Shiratamako + Joshinko (ratio varies depending on recipe maker).
We don’t really use mochiko because it’s very soft… but living outside of Japan, I know Shiratamako is very hard to find unless you have a Japanese grocery store. So that might be your only option for now.
Now you can’t make dango with mochiko only. You will need to blend with rice flour. But it’s not the same type of rice flour used for recipes and can be found in regular supermarkets. Joshiko is processed differently, specific for Japanese sweets…
Unfortunately, Amazon does not sell Joshinko or Shiratamako. 🙁 Finding the right ingredients has been a big issue for all the readers. It’s so hard to make authentic recipes without the right ingredients. Vietnamese/Thai brand has glutinous rice flour and rice flour… but they use long grain rice, not Japanese short-grain rice. So the taste and texture won’t be the same. If you had never had dango before, maybe you may not notice? But it’s a different ingredient, just like how Japanese steamed rice is different from long-grain rice other Asian dishes serve.
If you have a Japanese grocery store nearby, maybe that’s the best option? I hate to find food that goes to waste because of substitutions. 🙁
I was just wondering if i could use Mochiko to make Dango?
Hi Canyon! It might be too soft by itself without rice flour. We always mix glutinous rice flour (mochiko) and rice flour. 🙂
Can this and or Strawberry Daifuku be made the night before? If so, should I keep it out or refrigerate? Thank you!
Hi Natassia! If you live in a cooler place, I’d leave it out. The refrigerator will harden the mochi for sure… Just keep them at a cooler place as much as possible. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I purchased shiratamko online and made these for my son’s birthday last year. We refrigerated the dango and they got hard, but also some weren’t cooked all the way through (even though they floated to the top). We have a Japanese store that sells ready made dango imported from Japan. They keep them in the fridge with toppings ready for eating and they stay soft and chewy. How is that possible?
Hi Emmie! Simply because they use other ingredients to keep that way (see the ingredient list on the package next time). Dango or any rice sweets are known to get hard when chilled (just like cooked rice gets hard in the fridge). If you buy dango from a dango shop, their expiration day is usually at night, not even the next day. They are meant to keep at room temperature and enjoy it as soon as possible. Some dango from the supermarket include Mizuame (syrup) to make it sweet and keep it softer. Oh and make sure to cook a little longer once it floats. Inside (core) might be still not 100% cooked yet, depending on the size of the dango… Hope this helps!
Ok thank you Nami. I’ll try it again. I love all your recipes, I’ve started updating my pantry with Japanese ingredients. My husband says that he feels so much healthier with the recipes that you share. I love your content! Maybe you can share some recipes from the show ‘samurai gourmet’ or ‘kantaro the sweet tooth salary man’ from Netflix. 😬
Hi Emmie! Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my recipes! So glad to hear your husband enjoys them too!
I watched some episodes of samurai gourmet, but I couldn’t keep watching kantaro the sweet tooth salaryman without cringing. LOL. I’ll see what dessert the show covers and add to my recipe list. 🙂
Hello!
Regarding the rice flour, the only rice flour I have around is just called “glutinous rice flour” and seems to be from thailand-
in that case how do I follow the recipe? I can’t tell if it counts as “dangoko” or not.
Hi James! If you want to make dango, you will need both glutinous rice flour AND rice flour, especially for dango, the texture plays a big part in this dish. Without the right texture, it’s hard to call it dango. For both the right taste and texture, I recommend using Japanese glutinous rice flour and rice flour. The Japanese short-grain rice is DIFFERENT from long-grain rice variety, and I believe the final result makes a difference.
But sometimes, you have to use what you have… if you make only with glutinous rice flour, it’s too soft and lacks the firmness in dango. It may not become a round shape perfectly without adjusting the water. Then the texture will change… so you have to probably play with it a few times to make it as similar as dango. 🙂
Hey again Nami.
Since I can’t get japanese glutinous rice flour, and can only use that thailand brand of glutinous rice flour, could I mix that one with rice flour to have a more similar result?
Does the rice flour (not glutinous) have to be a japanese one?
Hi James! Both rice flour or glutinous rice flour are made from short-grain rice. I would definitely mix the two to get the right dango texture. If glutinous rice flour only, it will be a bit too soft. 🙂
Hi Nami 🙂
Just to pinpoint my concern regarding the rice flour- I can’t get my hands on a japanese rice flour, only other brands of it (non-japanese), they say rice flour on the package, but I’m wondering if it’s the same thing? would it do the job?
Hi James! I understood from your previous comment that you cannot get Japanese rice flour or Japanese glutinous rice flour. What I meant earlier is that Thai brand uses LONG grain rice, not short grain rice, so it is NOT the same thing. Just like steamed rice made with long grain rice is different from short-grain rice in terms of smell, texture, or taste.
Some readers who used the Thai brand told me they would buy a Japanese brand next time. Maybe the result was not close enough? Some people who never had eaten this dango in Japan my not notice the subtle difference even you use Thai brand.
So at the end, it depends on how accurate you want to make similar to dango in Japan. 🙂 I’m sure you can make something really similar using available ingredients.
Hope I answered your questions this time. 🙂
I understand, thank you very much!
I may be able to get my hands on shiratamako in the future, but it seems joshinko is extremely hard to find online, been searching on online stores and couldn’t find a single one that sells it.
I’ll make do tho 🙂
Hi James! I found this one online: https://www.ebay.com/i/223449120253?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=223449120253&targetid=859093278695&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1013581&poi=&campaignid=6470544942&mkgroupid=89253985335&rlsatarget=aud-622027676548:pla-859093278695&abcId=1139336&merchantid=138379648&gclid=CjwKCAiAyeTxBRBvEiwAuM8dnQP22YNDxlfy0uJm6ST4oeCRQL9Y5YenF-ydeqH8LIHso_1ziy738RoCrrsQAvD_BwE
Good luck! 😀
Hi Nami, I love Japanese sweets and have always wanted to try making them, (I actually just make your red bean ice cream today).
I only have glutinous rice flour and white rice flour by the Thai brand Rose. Will that work for making dango and mochi or should I get the Japanese flours?
P.S I have tried lots of your other recipes too and they’re all so delicious, this is now my go to place for Japanese recipes.
Hi Lauren! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my recipes and I truly apologize for my late response.
Please know that Thai brand does NOT use short-grain rice. If you’re familiar with both Japanese rice and Thai rice, they are quite different. So even though Thai rice produces both glutinous rice flour and rice flour, the final product won’t be the same. However, if that’s the only kind you can make… that’s the closest thing you can make with it. If possible, I would get Japanese glutinous rice flour and rice flour to make Japanese sweets. It makes a difference. 🙂
Hey, for the dango ko version, is it 100g or 200g of flour? Just thought it was weird that the mixture version uses 100g each to be a sum of 200g whereas the Dango ko Version basically uses the same amount of water with half the flour…
Hi Jenny! Thanks so much for letting me know the error. It should be 200 g, not 100 g.