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  • - [Micaela] Hey, guys.

  • And welcome back to Who Made It Better?

  • The fiercest reality show located in Tokyo.

  • Today's contestant, Erica Lion.

  • I hope she sharpened her claws,

  • because today she's taking on This Thing.

  • Watch out Tokyo, these girls aren't here to play.

  • Two are up for the challenge,

  • but only one will emerge half decent at their craft.

  • Who will rise to the challenge?

  • And who will fall into a deep pit of despair?

  • Let's find out.

  • This is The Wagashi Challenge.

  • (light piano music)

  • So today I'm in Tokyo doing a wagashi experience

  • at Saitama-Ya with WOW! JAPAN Experience +.

  • I'm here with Erica Lion.

  • - Hello.

  • - And we have a Japanese interpreter today, Roland.

  • - Hi.

  • - And we are going to learn how to make Japanese sweets.

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - [Erica] Wow.

  • - [Hiroshi] (in foreign language)

  • - [Micaela] (in foreign language)

  • - [Hiroshi] (in foreign language)

  • - [Micaela] So we've done our two practice wagashi.

  • We've gotten them out of the way.

  • And now that we've kind of gotten

  • the feel for how things are made,

  • it only makes sense that we need to duel to the death.

  • - But I have never made wagashi before, so.

  • - That's okay.

  • 'Cuz that means that I will win.

  • The winner will be chosen by you on Twitter.

  • We'll be holding a poll.

  • And I'm excited to see

  • how it turns out.

  • Because I'm gonna win.

  • - Oh, we'll see about that.

  • - Alright, so first we're going to

  • make this chry-san-the-num.

  • Is that how you pronounce it?

  • - [Roland] Chrysanthemum.

  • - Chrysan-the-mum.

  • - Chrysanthe--

  • It's a very light subtle pink flower.

  • And it's got a bright yellow center.

  • And then a youkan leaf on the side.

  • It's very cute.

  • - [Roland] You guys ready?

  • - I am so ready.

  • - So ready. (laughs)

  • - [Roland] Alright.

  • - Here we go, round one.

  • - [Roland] Three, two, one.

  • Go.

  • (Micaela growling)

  • - [Micaela] Okay, so first we roll it out, right?

  • - [Erica] Yeah.

  • - [Micaela] We roll it out.

  • Make it super flat.

  • - [Erica] It's like a pancake.

  • - Oh, that's cute.

  • I feel like I can do, I can do this much now.

  • So far, without making a mistake.

  • It's just, like, after this where it gets tricky.

  • (battle music)

  • - [Hiroshi] (in foreign language)

  • (Micaela and Erica laughing)

  • - [Erica] (in foreign language)

  • - [Micaela] (in foreign language)

  • (battle music)

  • (laughs)

  • I think I pushed too much.

  • (laughs)

  • Oh.

  • - So cute.

  • - Yeah, that's a little bit adorable.

  • - Cute.

  • - I like yours more.

  • - Ta-da.

  • - [Micaela] Alright.

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - [Micaela] (exclaims in foreign language)

  • (Erica laughs)

  • - [Hiroshi] (in foreign language)

  • - [Micaela] (in foreign language)

  • - (in foreign language)

  • (laughs)

  • (Micaela sighing)

  • - So, we are going to make a chestnut wagashi.

  • And this one has round mochigome, mochi rice, on the bottom.

  • And then the outside is a steamed youkan.

  • Which is kind of like a different way of making anko.

  • So, it looks very simple.

  • But actually, it's really hard.

  • So don't judge.

  • - The Chestnut Challenge.

  • - The Chestnut Challenge.

  • (battle music)

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - You done already?

  • - [Roland] She's super quick.

  • - How is she so quick?

  • - It's The Chestnut Challenge.

  • (frustrated growl)

  • - You're taking it really seriously.

  • If you take it too seriously I can't win.

  • So can you stop?

  • (battle music)

  • Yeah.

  • - It looks like a chocolate with hazelnut.

  • - It doesn't even fit in the tray.

  • (laughs)

  • This is going terribly wrong.

  • Everyone turn off your cameras.

  • - [Roland] But that's all--

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - (in foreign language)

  • - [Roland] Yours look like a chestnut.

  • So you all passed.

  • (in a foreign language)

  • - I think he's just afraid of breaking my heart.

  • - [Hiroshi] (in foreign language)

  • (laughing)

  • - I, actually, I did not expect that

  • the simplest design would be the hardest to make.

  • But I think like you said, I think I was overthinking it.

  • - You were definitely overthinking, yeah.

  • Because I found the intricate designs harder.

  • - Ah.

  • - Yeah.

  • (happy music)

  • Mmm.

  • Our teacher was very kind and tried to be very balanced

  • when he chose who the winner was,

  • but the Internet. - Too kind.

  • The Internet, no, the Internet is not.

  • - Brutal.

  • - As forgiving.

  • So, let's see who the winner of the wagashi contest is.

  • I've posted both pictures of the wagashi

  • without saying whose is whose.

  • So there's no bias.

  • Nobody knows which ones are mine.

  • Nobody knows which ones are Erica-san's.

  • But.

  • People are already voting.

  • I've got my wagashi on the left

  • and Erica's wagashi on the right.

  • So the Internet has picked the left side.

  • - No.

  • - At 84%.

  • - 84!

  • - You know what, I think this one looked really good.

  • I liked yours better than mine.

  • - Yeah, this one's really.

  • I think you did better overall.

  • But by per, I don't have an argument.

  • - I literally spent half my life

  • making the shape of this chestnut.

  • - And I did it in like a minute.

  • - She did it in like a hot second.

  • - Mm-hmm.

  • - And I think you guys need to appreciate that.

  • - Yeah, you should know.

  • - You should appreciate how hard she worked.

  • And all the obstacles she overcame.

  • I know you worked really hard today.

  • I worked really hard today.

  • And at the end of the day, no matter who won,

  • it's more important that we get to sit here.

  • Enjoy our tea.

  • - And eat the wagashi.

  • - And eat the wagashi.

  • I mean, like, when you consider

  • that we have four wagashi that we get to eat now,

  • like, we both won.