Wagashi, Daifuku, and Mochi difference?

Hello,

I have a brief knowledge as to what each of them are, however I am still a bit confused. Can someone clarify the relationship between one another?

For example, I know that daifuku and wagashi can be made with mochi. However, is daifuku a TYPE of wagashi? What type of food/confection fall under wagashi? I would just like to a have a firm understanding of all three things.

Thanks!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagashi

This may be of help! :-)

Wagashi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagashi
Mochi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochi
Daifuku, a kind of sweets wrapped in mochi An(ko) that could be in the red beans. Daifukumochi both.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E7%A6%8F
Recently, there is also a version that contains the things other than red beans inside.
Such as cafe au lait daifuku.
Some strawberries came into Anko other than to other, well as strawberry(ichigo) Daifuku.

Wagashi is just an overarching term meaning Japanese sweets. It's similar to saying something like "confectionary".

Mochi is both an ingredient used in Wagashi, and a standalone food item. Something like how marzipan is used in western confectionaries.

Daifuku is a subtype of wagashi, specifically anko (and other tasty things) wrapped in a mochi skin.

Would modern, Western type of mochi desserts be considered as wagashi? For example, mochi ice cream.

From what I've been reading, I get a sense that wagashi is a term more for traditional Japanese confections and not modern type of mochi, with various ingredients and fillings.

Thanks!

Strictly speaking probably not. Btw, mochi ice cream originated in Japan as Yukimi Daifuku, but its more of an inexpensive, casual dessert here than the US Mochi Ice Cream counterpart. Like something you'd get off an ice cream truck.

If Tokyo, salt(shio)daifuku of Sugamo Jizo street is famous.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3066.html
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132301/13044660/
beans(mame)daifuku of gunrin-do was delicious.
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132302/13003816/
Demachi-futaba is famous's Kyoto.
http://kyotofoodie.com/wagashi-mame-mochi-and-kuzu-manju/
I think mochi cream is not a daifuku.

Oh, about beans(mame)daifuku of gunrin-do,
you have chances to get it only in weekday morning.
It's really famous and people who want to buy it form a line every morning.
And on Saturdays, as soon as the shop opened, the owner always come out and apologize because all sold out.
It's not opened on Sundays.