Free with Admission!

Tokyo based pastry chef Chikara Mizukami and food writer Sonoko Sakai will discuss the healthful aspects of Japanese pastries, perspectives on Japanese pastries and tea, and Japanese influence on Western pastries.

Chikara Mizukami was born in Yamanashi prefecture. He comes from a family of wagashi makers. Traditionally, it is the oldest son who inherits the business and the younger sons will pursue other careers. As the fourth son, Mizukami initially studied accounting but realized that wagashi was his calling. Mizukami began his career as a wagashi maker in Kyoto, where he worked at Shioyoshiken. After leaving Shioyoshiken, Mizukami went to work at Kawaguchiya in Nagoya. He moved to Tokyo and opened his wagahi shop at the age of 29. His wagashi shop, Ikkoan, is visited by people from all over the world. Mizukami is passionate about Wagashi and is interested in promoting and preserving the 1400 year tradition. Mizukami has travelled to Paris, Milan, Barcelona and Montreal to do workshops and lectures. This is his first two-city tour in the U.S. in Seattle and Los Angeles. He has been making wagashi for more than 30 years.

Photo by: Makoto Horiuchi, Kazunori Kawagoshi, Yuta Sato, Ryusuke Nanki