By MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team, compiled and reported
In Japan, not only can you enjoy the vivid seasonal landscapes with your eyes, but you can also savor the delights of the seasons through your taste buds. When visiting Japan in spring, the sight of blooming pink cherry blossoms is truly breathtaking, and a wide variety of cherry blossom-themed sweets also make their appearance. These various pink sweets are not only eye-catching but also delicious, so don’t miss out on this unique spring flavor when you’re in Japan.
Tasting the flavor of cherry blossoms (Image source / JNTO)
● Cherry Blossom Yōkan
Using red food coloring to tint the white bean paste—made from white azuki beans—into a pink hue, which is then solidified into a square shape, cherry blossom yōkan may be mixed with salt-pickled cherry leaves or petals, or sometimes you can enjoy both flavors.
Cherry Blossom Yōkan (Image source / JNTO)
Dried Cherry Blossom Sweets (Image source / JNTO)
● Sakura Mochi
Sakura mochi is one of Japan’s most iconic cherry blossom sweets. The Tokyo-style “Nagaimo” is a sweet where a thin wheat dough is lightly grilled and wrapped around sweet red bean paste. The other variety, known as the Kyoto-style sakura mochi or “Domyoji,” features a glutinous rice dough filled with sweet filling and wrapped in salt-pickled cherry leaves.
The Tokyo-style “Nagaimo” (right), popular in the Kanto region, and the Kyoto-style “Domyoji” (left), common in the Kansai region (Image source / JNTO)
● Cherry Blossom Manjū
Steamed buns with filling inside, some of which have a slight pink hue, while others are adorned with salt-pickled cherry blossoms on top, making them look very cute and charming.
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