Yatsuhashi is the most popular traditional Japanese sweet from Kyoto. You can make this delicious treat at home with just a few simple ingredients.
When you visit Kyoto (京都) – one of the most beautiful cities in Japan with ancient temples, gorgeous Japanese gardens, serene rock display, and fabulous food, you should also try its popular confectionery, Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋).
If you are not visiting Kyoto, no worries! I’m going to show you how to make it at home, so you can enjoy this delicious Japanese sweet without stepping foot in the city.
Yatsuhashi – Popular Souvenir from Kyoto
Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋) is a Japanese confectionery which is made from rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
When you’re in Kyoto, you’ll notice every souvenir shop sells them. It’s probably the most famous regional product from Kyoto. Since it’s a very well-known gift from the city, you can purchase it even at the international airports in Japan.
Yatsuhashi Three Ways
This traditional sweet is made in 3 different ways; baked, unbaked, and unbaked with Red Bean Paste.
When the mochi dough is flattened and baked until it gets hard, we simply call it Yatsuhashi. This is the most traditional type. The shape of the crackers is roundish and resembles a Japanese harp or a bamboo stalk cut in half lengthwise. The texture is very crispy and you may find it a bit hard to bite and break with your teeth. They usually come in cinnamon flavor, and you can smell and taste the intense cinnamon spice as you bite into the crackers.
The unbaked version is called Nama Yatsuhashi (生八ツ橋). The steamed mochi is rolled out and cut into a small rectangular shape, and it is enjoyed as is. There are different flavors for Nama Yatsuhashi. The most common ones are cinnamon and matcha (green tea powder) flavors.
Nama Yatsuhashi with Red Bean Paste (餡入り生八ツ橋) is the most popular kind these days. The square thin mochi is folded into a triangle and filled with red bean paste (tsubuan). Today I’m sharing this most popular recipe.
The Key Ingredients for Nama Yatsuhashi
The authentic version is made of 100% rice flour (米粉) – the flour made from short-grain Japanese rice (うるち米), not glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour (もち米).
Joshinko (上新粉) is one type of rice flour and its texture is very fine. When you cook it, it’s not as elastic/pliable as mochi made from glutinous rice flour.
The majority of homemade Yatsuhashi recipes require both Joshinko and Shiratamako (白玉粉) – glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour). Depends on the recipe, the ratio between these two flours could vary, and a lot of people use more Shiratamako than Joshinko. However, I used more Joshinko in this recipe to keep it closer to the authentic Yatsuhashi taste with 100% rice flour.
When you look for shiratamako at a Japanese grocery store, keep in mind that the texture of shiratamako is rather coarse, despite it being glutinous rice “flour”. Some pieces are as big as 1/8 inch (3 mm).
Where to Find Joshinko and Shiratamako
Joshinko and Shiratamako can be found in Japanese grocery stores. Unfortunately, they are not sold on Amazon (yet).
In Asian grocery stores, you can find other Asian rice flour and glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour). However, they do NOT use Japanese short grain rice so the end result might come out differently in terms of texture and flavors.
If you cannot find Shiratamako, you can use another type of glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour called Mochiko. This is fairly easy to find on Amazon or even American supermarkets (Asian isle) carry them sometimes. If you cannot find Joshinko or Shiratamako, you can make this with mochiko. However, please understand that the result will NOT be the same.
I hope you enjoy making this Nama Yatsuhashi recipe! If you try it, don’t forget to share your picture on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with #JustOneCookbook. Thank you so much for reading, and till next time!
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- 30 g shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) or mochiko (30 g = scant ¼ cup)
- 65 ml water (65 ml = ¼ cup + 1 tsp)
- 60 g sugar (60 g = ¼ cup + 1 tsp)
- 50 g joshinko (rice flour) (50 g = ¼ cup + 2 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp kinako (soybean flour)
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tsp matcha green tea powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder (to mix with matcha)
- 150 g red bean paste (anko) (150 g = 2/3 cup)
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Gather all the ingredients.
- In a large (microwave-safe) bowl, add scant ¼ cup (30 g) shiratamako and ¼ cup + 1 tsp. (65 ml) water. Whisk well to combine so that there are no lumps of flour. We mix these two first, before adding the rest of dry ingredients.
- Add ¼ cup + 1 tsp. (60 g) granulated sugar and ¼ cup + 2 tsp. (50 g) joshinko, mix well with spatula. Sugar will make the dough watery. You should be able to see the bottom of the bowl for a second when you draw a line. Add more water to reach that consistency, if necessary.
- Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the microwave. My microwave is 1400W and strong, so I reduced the power to half (P5) and then microwave for 1.5 minutes (if you microwave is 600W then you should heat it for 3 minutes). Take it out and mix evenly with a wet spatula. Cover with plastic wrap again and microwave for another 1 to 1.5 minute (adjust based on your microwave wattage).
- It’s ready once it becomes thick and sticky like soft mochi when you mix it with a wet spatula.
- In a pot that is large enough to fit the bowl, put a steamer rack inside. Fill the bottom of the pot with water (make sure water won’t reach to bowl when boiling) and bring to boil. Once boiling, place the bowl inside. Wrap the lid with kitchen towel so that the condensation won’t drop into the mixture. Cover the lid and steam for 12-15 minutes, until the mixture becomes mochi like – sticky, white, and thick when you mix with a wet spatula.
- Spread some soybean powder on the working surface.
- Cut the dough in half. Keep the half in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it won’t dry out.
- Flatten the dough and sprinkle 2 tsp. cinnamon powder.
- Knead the dough to evenly distribute the cinnamon powder.
- With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to thin sheet. Try to stretch it out into a rectangular (or square) shape, so it’ll be easier to cut into squares.
- Create a 3 x 3 inch (8 x 8 cm) square pattern with a cardboard paper. Place on the dough and cut out with a knife. Sprinkle soybean powder in between the wrappers so they don’t stick together.
- With leftover pieces, knead and roll flat again to create more pieces.
- Combine 2 tsp. matcha green tea powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon powder. Whisk well together.
- Flatten half of the dough that you kept in the bowl and sprinkle the matcha/cinnamon powder over the dough as you knead.
- With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to thin rectangular sheet. Try to stretch it out into a rectangular (or square) shape, so it’ll be easier to cut into squares.
- Once you finish cutting the dough in squares, place 1 heaping teaspoon (15 g) of red bean paste in the center of the dough.
- Fold into a triangle shape. If the dough edge won’t stick, wet it with water and fold to seal. Enjoy within 24 hours. Keep it in a cool room temperature and avoid putting in the refrigerator, as it will harden.
- Roll out the dough into a thinner dough and cut into inch 3/4 x 2 1/4 inch (2 x 6 cm) strips. Bake them at 300F (150C) for 15-20 minutes. If you prefer it to be more crispy, keep it in the oven for a little longer. When they are crispy, remove from the oven and let them cool. Store in an airtight container.
Equipment you will need:
- Rolling pin
- Poster board (3" x 3" or 8 cm x 8 cm)
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
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I LOVE Yatsuhash!!! Thank you for the recipe, I’m definitely gonna try this once 🙂
Hi Marina! Thank you for reading this post already (so fast!). 🙂 Hope you can find all the ingredients. I wish they are easily available everywhere in the world… Enjoy cooking! 🙂
I would love to make this recipe!! However, I can’t find joshinko anywhere. 🙁 Could I replace it by komeko? Thanks!
Hi Irena! If you can find Japanese brand, it would be perfect (using short grain rice). 🙂 Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Hi Nami, I’ve made the Yatsuhashi yesterday with komeko and shiratamako and they’re really delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! Also, I needed to add twice more water than in your recipe, maybe it depends on the komeko I’ve used.
I Irena! It also depends on the weather (moisture in the air) too. I’m glad you could adjust. Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Yay, thank you for the sweet treat! Im going got to Kyoto in a few weeks and will definitely try some yatsuhashi. In the meantime, I get to enjoy making my own. Arigato!
Hi Barbara! You’re welcome and thanks for reading this post! Kyoto will be very hot (and humid!) between July to Sept, so make sure to dress light (how do you say… dress cool?). Kyoto is located in the valley, so the heat gets trapped there. You won’t miss Yatsuhashi because it’s everywhere! Hope you enjoy visiting Kyoto! Have a wonderful trip! xo
I LOVE these and have vivid memories of strolling through Kyoto trying to figure out how to get more free samples as it seemed rude to go back more than one. I had all my relatives getting them for me. Then we bought a few boxes and I ate to my heart’s content. Thanks for the post. I’m looking forward to trying these out since I have your tsubuan recipe in the freezer. 🙂
Hi Rumi! LOL!!!! I can relate. I loved stores that give free samples (despite of so many tourists). Haha. It’s actually very easy to make, and I hope you enjoy!! 🙂
Thanks for posting this recipe! I ate these in Kyoto and I had always thought it was made from mochi.
Have fun cooking this at home, Theresa! 🙂
I tried this recipe yesterday to make baked Yatsuhashi.
It was very easy, till the moment I had to roll out the dough. It was extremly sticky. I just could not manage to roll it out without it sticking to the ground.
(I did use corn starch instead of Kinako, because Kinako is not available here.)
In the end I used so much of it that my Yatsuhashi pieces were completly white on one site 🙁
Did I maybe do something wrong with making the dough? Do you have a tip to handle the extremly sticky dough? Maybe use something else than Kinako?
(I did microwave the dough for 2min, when it got out it was warm and sticky but also a bit hard)
And another question; is it normal for the baked Yatsuhashi to stay even and not end up half bent? (I hope you can understand what I mean)
I hope you can help. (btw they taste yummy)
Hi Melanie! Sorry for my late response! I’m happy to hear you tried this recipe already. Here are my answers:
1) What type of flour did you use? Have you found both rice flour and glutinous rice flour? Depending on it, the texture is slightly different. Without kinako or corn starch, mochi will be sticky but you have to make sure it’s evenly, thinly spread out, and make sure to sprinkle on the rolling pin too.
2) You could use cinnamon instead of corn starch. If you use my recipe with more rice flour % than glutinous rice flour, the mixture is harder than one with 100% glutinous rice flour, for example. But it’s pliable enough to spread/roll out.
3) It curls up naturally, maybe rotating the baking sheet to evenly distribute the heat might help?
Hello
Thank you for your answer.
1) I was able to buy some Shiratamako and Joshinko a while ago online. I did use them for the recipe so this should be ok.
Even with the corn starch it was extremly sticky 🙁
Maybe I should try to change the time in the microwave?
Our microwave does not tell me the Watt, it only says “defrost”, “slight heat”, “medium heat” and so on.
2) I will try changing the amount of rice flour and glutinous rice flour 🙂
3) That is strange, not a single one of my Yatsuhashi pieces curled up. They all stayed completly flat. A few got some air bubbles.
Do you maybe have an idea what could be the problem or what I may have done wrong?
I will try the recipe again with some changes.
I usualy pick up a box or two of Nama Yatsuhashi whenever I visit Kyoto to use as souvenirs. I love sampling the different flavors but need to make sure I’m get them home in time since it has such a short expiration date. Great to know I can make it at home and hopefully get a chance to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kit! Right, it’s made fresh, so homemade version is also needed to be enjoyed soon. Though we can control when to make it, and it’s delicious to eat fresh. Hope you give it a try! 🙂
Hello Nami,
You mentioned 2 TSP kinako, but I cannot see where you used it.
Hi Momo! I think I wrote 2 tsp. cinnamon powder. 🙂
hello! thank you for the recipe – I know it’s not traditional, but I was wondering what tweaks to make if I wanted to make a version with a black sesame filling?
Hi Dawn! Hmmm I’ve never made it but I would make a filling using Nerigoma (https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-black-sesame-paste/) and add. 🙂
This was delicious! Can we add less sugar if we think it’s too sweet? Would it still turn out alright? Thank you!
Hi Christy! Sugar keeps the mochi tender for a longer time. So adjust and see if cutting back sugar causes mochi to be tougher. 🙂
It seems to be easy to prepare. Do you have an idea, how to bring it into the half-pipe-shape when you bake it_
Hi Peter! I haven’t tried it but how about baking it on the curved shape, like some kind of metal pipe?
Are the yatsuhashi also called otabe?
Hi Barbara! Yes, that’s the brand name. 🙂