It’s a popular Japanese treat that is often flavored with syrup or with sweetened condensed milk. This emoji might look like a cookie at first, but in reality, it represents a popular Japanese treat — senbei. Its popular symbol is a bamboo tree that is decorated with paper streamers in different colors where people write their wishes. But actually, this glyph represents onsens — the hot springs Japan is famous for. Japanese people use it to express their apologies and to ask for forgiveness, and this emoji represents bowing.

Source: The Nation February 25, 2021 14:37 UTC