“ハーブの女王”よもぎが“ネクスト抹茶”に？出荷量が過去最高　“ほぼ草”たい焼きにドーナツ…続々進出【Nスタ解説】｜TBS NEWS DIG

Matcha, currently experiencing a global boom and shortages, is now being replaced by mugwort. ■ Why is mugwort, the "Queen of Herbs," experiencing such a boom? Junna Yamagata (Anchor): Mugwort is a perennial plant belonging to the daisy family, growing throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Due to its wide range of health benefits, it's also known as the "Queen of Herbs." It can be eaten in dishes like mugwort mochi or kusa mochi, consumed as a drink, or used in mugwort steaming to warm the body. ■ Mugwort Gains Attention as a Matcha Substitute: Now Available at Convenience Stores! With mugwort currently in season, a variety of mugwort products are appearing on the market. ▼Seven-Eleven: Mugwort-flavored rice cake ▼FamilyMart: Mugwort steamed bun (availability may vary by store) ▼Floresta Donut Shop: Mugwort donut (available March-May, while supplies last) Mugwort-flavored donuts are said to be very popular due to their novelty, nostalgia, and uniquely chewy texture. Mugwort is gaining attention as a substitute for matcha, which is currently attracting worldwide attention. Ueno Tadashi, a company that sells mugwort powder and other products, has reported record-high shipments for 2025. Advisor Akifumi Ueno also commented, "I'm excited to see signs of a boom." Furthermore, according to a representative from Floresta, a donut shop, while mugwort donuts previously had many older fans, they've recently noticed an increase in younger customers. At the shop we visited, we also saw many young people drinking mugwort drinks. Mai Izumi (Anchor): I love mugwort mochi. I always keep various kinds of brown rice mochi at home, and I always have mugwort mochi on hand. However, I didn't know any other ways to use it besides mochi, so I'd really like to try other ways of eating it. The unique bitterness is quite addictive, isn't it? ■Mugwort in Shiratama and Anko: "Almost All Grass" Mugwort Taiyaki Also Appears Yamagata (Anchor): And there are also products where mugwort is the main ingredient. At Tomoe-an (Suginami-ku, Tokyo), a taiyaki shop, they are currently selling "Mugwort Shiratama Taiyaki." This shop sells limited-edition taiyaki that change monthly, and mugwort is said to be the most popular. The taiyaki contains mugwort mixed with shiratama (rice flour dumplings), and mugwort is also included in the anko (sweet bean paste) part; it's packed with mugwort. The shop staff also said that this taiyaki is "almost all grass." To achieve a flavor that can stand up to the red bean paste, they don't use a powder made from the strongly flavored and aromatic young mugwort sprouts, but rather finely chop it and mix it into the mochi balls. Young mugwort sprouts are also used in the red bean paste. Furthermore, a "mugwort beer" called "Special Brew - Mugwort Fragrance" has also been introduced. It's said to have a mugwort aroma reminiscent of kusamochi (rice cake with mugwort), and you can feel the sweetness of the mugwort and a pleasant, lingering bitterness. SVB Tokyo (Shibuya Ward) offers it in some courses, and when paired with the cherry blossom jam served with meat dishes, it's said to have a flavor similar to sakuramochi (cherry blossom rice cake). ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/ ▼Please subscribe to our channel!    / @tbsnewsdig   ▼Submit information here: "TBS Insiders" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/tbs-ins... ▼Submit video here: "TBS Scoop Submission" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/toukou.... #news #TBS #newsdig