Japanese cookie creators are fond of putting their own unique spin on things with designs and patterns inspired by their own culture. For example, we've seen elaborate icing cookies reproducing the famous bird paintings by Jakuchu Ito as well as colorful cookies resembling ramen bowls viewed from above, complete with all the toppings.

The latest icing cookie creator to earn the spotlight is Twitter user maiko (@sweetveilmaiko) who runs an icing cookie classroom in Yokohama called SweetVeil. With her gracious permission, we have reposted images of some of her incredible creations below.

Feast your eyes on these fabulous retro Japanese patterned icing cookies:

Her intricately decorated cookies reproduce well-known wagara (traditional Japanese) patterns such as asanoha 麻の葉 (hemp leaves), yagasuri 矢絣 (arrow fletchings), kikubishi 菊菱 (chrysanthemum diamonds), and other patterns featuring clouds and chrysanthemums in hexagonal or butterfly-shaped cookies.

Although her retro Japanese patterned cookies are truly delightful, maiko has designed many other beautiful icing cookies, some of which you can see here:

These cookies come together to form an edible New Year's card with the old kanji for dog 戌 symbolizing the year of the dog, and the kanji compound geishun 迎春, meaning "welcoming spring," (since January corresponds to spring in the ancient calendar), along with plum blossoms and puppy paw prints to complete the picture.

In case you were wondering, her designs aren't limited to Japanese themes.

Although maiko is not licensed to sell her cookies to the general public, there is a way to obtain them and even send them as gifts. The catch is you'll need to be in the Tokyo area to take one of her lessons.

She offers lessons through SweetVeil on a regular basis, and the retro Japanese-patterned cookies are now part of her list of lessons she will gladly provide, upon request.

If you are interested in taking her lessons, please note that you should be able to communicate in Japanese or bring along a friend who can interpret for you. Lessons are held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm (until 2:00 pm for more intricate cookies) on weekdays and cost 4,500 JPY, which includes tea time with tea and cookies during the lesson and a take-home box and paper bag to bring your cookies home.

Her current lesson schedule is listed here (Japanese only). If you are specifically interested in her retro Japanese-themed cookies, please see this page. Both pages have instructions on how you can get in touch with her, along with email address.

If you're happy to simply gaze upon her handiwork, please see maiko's Twitter and Instagram accounts.


By - Ben K.