All four seasons show clearly in Fukushima, and each of them is associated with certain foods. Some dishes vary in ingredients and flavors depending on the season, and the same is true for sweets: “wagashi” – traditional Japanese confections made mainly from plant-based ingredients, delicately sweet and perfect with green tea – as well as Western-style desserts. In Belarus, where I come from, we also have more traditional desserts that evoke autumn (pear pies with cinnamon or sugar-coated cranberries), as well as universal autumn sweets (for example, pumpkin cakes). However, Japanese sweets are still exceptional in how they let you experience the season. Here are four classic sweets from Fukushima, well-known and cherished by locals, that feature autumn ingredients and make excellent souvenirs.

福島県には四季があり、季節ごとに収穫できる作物も変わり、旬の食べ物を味わえます。和菓子（植物由来の材料で作られ、上品な甘さで緑茶によく合う日本の伝統的なスイーツ）と洋菓子もそうです。私が生まれ育ったベラルーシにも、秋を思わせる伝統的なデザート（洋梨のシナモンパイや砂糖漬けクランベリー）や、どの国でも味わえる秋のスイーツ（例えば、パンプキンケーキ）があります。ただ、日本のスイーツは、季節感を感じられる点では本当に優秀です。ここでは、秋の食材を使い、福島の人々に親しまれている、お土産にも最適な定番スイーツを4つご紹介します。