JSA was the first in Japan to hold a course specialising in Nerikiri, Mizugashi, and Higashi, and they continue to be very popular both in Japan and overseas. The JSA Manju Art (まんじゅうアート™) Certificate Course is the first course of this kind in Japan. Manju (まんじゅう) was introduced from China in the Kamakura period and has developed into a unique culture in Japan. In this course, you will be able to create your one-of-a-kind Manju Art, by learning the traditional techniques of steamed Manju and grilled Manju and incorporating Nerikiri Art techniques and JSA's original techniques. This course specialises only in "Manju", among other Japanese confectioneries. You can acquire the skills as a lecturer in 6 lessons, including five types of Momoyama (桃山), Rikyu (利休), Karukan (かるかん), Sweet Potatoes (薯蕷), and Milk Manju (ミルクまんじゅう) in 2 days. This course has comprehensive content where you can learn 13 kinds of works and more than 40 kinds of techniques. While we are paying much attention to the traditional culture, this course also teaches JSA's highly artistic modelling design skills. While simplicity and appearance are important, "As a Japanese, I want to preserve the traditional techniques, background, and delicacy of Wagashi, which have a long history." With that in mind, this course will be supervised by a Japanese confectionery craftsman, following Nerikiri Art, Mizugashi Art, and Higashi & Hannamagashi courses we have developed. This course is supervised by Mr Naito Takayuki, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop founded in Ashiya in 1918, "Okashiji Kuchiya Toyomitsu". He sympathised with JSA's association philosophy and policy and cooperated with JSA with the desire to convey the tradition, beauty, and splendour of Japanese sweets to the future and overseas. He assisted in the design of this course. Mr Naito said that the works in this Manju Art course arrange the world of various Manju, which are familiar from formal gifts of Japanese sweets to snacks for every day, in the style of the JSA. Traditional ingredients and techniques are used to support the base of the dough and bean paste, and the design is something new that is rarely seen in Japanese sweets. There is a wide variety of courses, from basic to advanced, which are beautiful to look at and delicious to eat! He would appreciate it if students could learn a lot from this course and share these new designs of Japanese sweets with as many people as possible. Course Details: Lesson 1 - Momoyama (桃山) You will learn how to make Momoyama Manju, which is as delicate and gorgeous as Nerikiri Art. You will learn how to make Momoyama Manju dough, colour the dough, and filling, use Japanese confectionery tools, modelling (hydrangea, sunflower, Nadeshiko 撫子), and baking method. Lesson 2 - Milk Manju Learn about Western-style milk buns' three-dimensional design and branding with a moist, buttery flavour. Using familiar tools, you will be able to brand the shape freely. You will learn how to make milk Manju dough, colouring the dough, familiar patterns of Manju dough, fillings, three-dimensional modelling (heart and cat two types), baking, and branding. Lesson 3 - Rikyu Manju Learn how to make Rikyu steamed buns, said to be loved by Japanese tea saint Sen Rikyu. While using brown sugar, we will create a cute design that is typical JSA. The class will also teach the alternative way of making Karinto Manju (かりんとう). You will learn to make Rikyu Manju (brown sugar) dough, colour the dough, make fillings, draw patterns, paint, shape (squirrels, stumps, acorns), steam Manju, and make Karinto Manju. Lesson 4 - Karukan Roll Learn how to make fluffy Karukan dough and learn how to roll Karukan Rolls. The Karukan Roll with the Japanese patterns of camellias and clouds. It is a Japanese confectionery that looks like art and is not sold anywhere else. You will learn how to make Karukan dough, how to colour the dough, how to draw patterns, how to steam, how to make bean paste suitable for the rolls, how to make matcha bean paste, and how to roll with bean paste. Lesson 5 - Sweet Potato Manju ~New Year~ We will make Sweet Potato Manju, which is often used as a gift for weddings and celebrations, with a design perfect for the New Year. The content is worth learning, with plenty of elements of Nerikiri Art, such as how to paint for a plump finish, filling with a red and white pattern on the cross-section, and modelling using a triangle rod, ball modelling tool, and scissors. You will learn how to make Sweet Potato Manju dough, colour the dough, colour the bean paste, how to make red and white bean paste, wrapping technique, sculpting (crane, snapper, and bell), and modelling using triangle rod and scissors, and painting to create a three-dimensional piece. Lesson 6 - Graduation Work This lesson will use the techniques learned in the last five lessons to make two original designs of Sweet Potato Manju within the time limit. In the graduation work, you can think about your original design and time allocation, so it will be a necessary skill training to create your lessons. After passing the graduation exam, you can immediately work as a lecturer. ​ - Course Duration: 6 lessons (12 hours in total) - Course Fee: HK$9,830 (including tuition fee, ingredients, tools, coursebook, certification and 3 x free recipes for your class) - Annual Membership Fee: HK$300 (pro-rata charges for the first year, no additional fee is required for current JSA members) *The coursebooks are available in Chinese only.