Japanese sweets makers appeal to youngsters with chic varieties

"Wagashi," or traditional Japanese sweets, are less popular among younger people in Japan compared with Western-style confections. But wagashi makers want to change that by appealing to more sophisticated palates.Shunkado, which runs Japanese sweets brand Gokokuya, is one of the wagashi makers trying to attract younger generations with new products that are a twist on old staples.Traditional products such as "yokan" red bean paste sweets and "manju" sweet buns have been losing popularity over the past decades, according to a government survey, but the company has come up with a new type of …READ FULL ARTICLE