Spring has finally arrived, and Japan’s favorite time of the year is knocking at the door: sakura season, along with the blossoming of the cherry trees; cafes, convenience stores, and supermarket shelves have started blooming with limited edition sakura snacks and beverages.
Let’s have a look at some of the best sakura-themed and flavored sweets and drinks for this year!
Cafes, Restaurants, and Chains With the Best Sakura Snacks
McDonald’s
McDonald’s might not be the first place to come to mind when discussing delicious and out-of-the-ordinary desserts. Still, McDonald’s Japan always offers season-limited menus that, despite coming from a global chain, have a big following and gain rapid popularity among foodies.
McDonald’s returns the Teritama Burger, teriyaki-glazed pork with a fried egg, a not-so-Sakura snack but more of a meal. Along with this mouth-watering burger is a selection of seasonal drinks and desserts that reflect cherry blossoms, like the strawberry daifuku pie with red bean paste and rice cake. Quench your thirst with their Mcfizz peach lemonade or their Mcfloat peach lemonade.
Lindt
The Swiss Chocolatier, who landed in Japan in 2010, quickly understood how to keep up with the pace of Sakura season lovers. This year, Lindt reintroduces their famous chocolate balls in the flavor of Sakura and cream, along with various cherry blossom-themed gift bags and boxes to purchase. After or before buying your goods, head over to the Lindt cafe to enjoy Lindt’s Sakura snack, a limited edition Sakura & Pistachio Chocolate drink.
Using only the best ingredients, like cherry blossom syrup made from concentrated domestic Sekiyama cherry blossoms, two types of Italian pistachios, and an espuma made from Sicilian pistachio paste and chopped pistachios, you won’t want to miss out on tasting this seasonal drink.
Starbucks
Starbucks’ season-limited drinks are always very popular throughout the year. This year, you can enjoy various limited-time beverages from Starbucks and Starbucks Reserve.
Image credits: Yves Scheuber via Unsplash
This year’s Spring season-limited drink for Starbucks is the Spring Sky Milk Coffee Frappuccino. A delicious combination of creamy milk, coffee, and strawberries! The strawberry flavor comes from the strawberry ball you can add to your drink and crush it with your straw to release a blast of strawberry. If you’re looking for some Sakura snacks, there are plenty! Try their Sakura and Matcha Mochiri An Ball, Sakura donuts, or a slice of Sakura chiffon cake.
If you want to splurge a little more on drinks, head over to Starbucks Reserve, where you can enjoy various Sakura-flavored beverages and snacks. Enjoy a simple Sakura Mousse Foam Latte, or if you’d like something other than coffee, try the Teavana™ Spritzer Sakura Allure.
A Happy Pancake
A Happy Pancake (幸せのパンケーキ) is a very popular chain with various locations around the country, which specializes in Japanese-style pancakes, tall, wobbly, and fluffy. The seasonal special, which became available from March 1st, is their signature sakura pancakes, available almost every year around cherry blossom viewing season. Two large fluffy pancakes are served with chunky sweet red bean paste and a sakura-flavored whipped cream.
Sakura Snacks at Convenience Stores
Convenience stores offer a wide selection of limited-edition sakura snacks, sweets, and drinks that are easily accessible 24/7.
Image credit: Canva
Seven-Eleven
Seven-Eleven’s Sakura lineup starts with the “Sakura An and Mochi Parfait.” This Japanese-style parfait consists of Sakura warabimochi jelly, sakura and green tea flavored mousse, whipped cream, sakura-flavored red bean paste, and two kinds of small mochi on top. A sweet treat perfect for bringing along to a cherry blossom viewing.
The “Sakura Creme Chiffon Cake,” which was also launched at Seven-Eleven stores throughout the country, is a sakura pink chiffon cake filled with sakura-flavored whipped cream. It is not only delicious but also aesthetically pleasing.
Another dessert to try out is the Sakura bean paste dorayaki, two small pancake-like cakes filled with cherry blossom paste cream. If it’s your first time in Japan, this dessert should be a must-try since Dorayaki is a traditional Japanese sweet.
Family Mart
Family Mart won’t disappoint, either!
This year is the year of the Strawberry! Holding a “Strawberry Fair” event from March 6th till April 14th, enjoy various strawberry-flavored desserts. Featuring vegan desserts under their “Blue Green” label.
Enjoy a Sakura mochi, which comes in a package with six, making it the perfect Sakura snack to take with you to a cherry blossom viewing. A tasty treat made from Domyoji rice filled with sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a salty cherry blossom leaf. Available from March 18th until April 21st.
Lawson
Lawson rings in the Sakura season by introducing some tasty drinks through Machi Cafe+, like the cute and pink Sakura Latte or the tasty Sakura Latte Smoothie.
Along with some delicious drinks, Lawson introduces a variety of strawberry treats for the Spring season. Released under Lawson’s dessert label, Uchi Café, try their cute and tasty Uchi Café Strawberry Condensed Milk Warabi and the Uchi Café Doramocchi with Creamy Strawberry Sauce.
Get Out and Find Your Favorite Sakura Snacks!
Spring is the season to be in Japan if you have a sweet tooth. Whether you gave or tried Sakura-flavored sweets and beverages this year, you gotta have them all!
Related Articles:
- Wagashi: The Beauty of Japan’s Food Culture
- 5 Must-Visit Spring Matsuri Around Japan!
- Best Spots to See Plum Blossoms in Japan
- 5 Strawberry Snacks You Should Try From The Conbini
Featured image credit: Canva
