Spring is arriving early at Tokyo Solamachi where shops and restaurants will be serving up their own cherry blossom themed desserts and dishes from March 1.

The Line-Up: A Delectable Excerpt

Vibrant Cherry Blossom Desserts Welcome Spring

Hanami Soft | ¥800

Where: Gion Tsujiri (East Yard Floor 6F)

Serving: March 1, 2021 – April 30, 2021

Feel the warm breeze of Japanese hanami with a parfait serving of cherry blossom bavarian cream and jelly, Uji match soft serve ice cream, cherry blossom chocolate, white flour dango dumplings, high quality red bean paste, wafer, and other little assorted treats.

Sakura Mochi Flavoured Spring Pancakes | ¥935

Where: Coconoha (West Yard Floor 4F)

Serving: March 1, 2021 – April 11, 2021

Coconoha’s popular fluffy pancakes topped livingly with cherry blossom ice cream, chewy white flour dumplings, and sweet red bean paste.

Takeout Cherry Blossom Food

Sakura Sushi | Takeout ¥2,138, Eat-In ¥2,178

Where: Kirby Cafe Tokyo (East Yard 4F)

Serving: From March 19, 2021

A picnic serving of six springtime sushi rolls decorated with Kirby references which comes in a cute lunchbox.

Cherry Blossom Lassi | ¥520

Where: AMARI DELI (West Yard Floor 2F)

Serving: March 1, 2021 – April 11, 2021

A cherry blossom lassi in full bloom with fluffy whipped cream and finished with sprinkles of pink-coloured chocolate.

Cute Spring Cherry Blossom Snacks

Financier Sandwich Box – Sakura & Matcha | ¥1,500 (Contains 4)

Where: Afternoon Tea Room (East Yard Floor 3F)

Serving: February 25, 2021 – April 21, 2021

An assortment of two financier cakes: the Sakura Financier Sandwich which is cherry blossom flavoured and filled with white chocolate, roasted walnuts, and strawberry flakes, and the Matcha Financier Sandwich which is filled with milk chocolate, roasted walnuts, and pistachio. Available while supplies last.

Restaurant Menus Beckon Hanami

Spring Roast Beef Nigiri & Cherry Blossom Dashi Kishimen Noodles | ¥1,380

Where: Sugimoto (East Yard Floor 6F)

Serving: March 1, 2021 – April 11, 2021

Roast beef sushi rolls made with Nagoya Owari beef and served with slightly-salted flat kishimen noodles served in a cherry blossom flavoured broth. Limited to 10 servings per day.

This is just a sampled look at what’s to come at Tokyo Solamachi this spring – if you’re in Tokyo for the cherry blossom season, be sure to visit!

Sugar Butter Tree, a shop by Grapestone that specialises in cereal sweets, released its new Strawberry Chocolate Sandwich at all branches of Sugar Butter Tree on February 15.

A Limited-Time Treat Made With Seasonal Japanese Strawberries

This strawberry-loaded biscuit is sold by Sugar Butter Tree every year. It’s made with only the best picked springtime strawberries to create a delicious chocolatey snack. If you love strawberries, then this is a treat for you.

Sugar Butter Tree Strawberry Chocolate Sandwich: Pack of 5 – ¥648 / Pack of 8 – ¥1,080 / Pack of 12 – ¥1,620 (Tax Included)

Milky, melt-in-the-mouth strawberry goodness

The chocolate ‘sandwich’ contains crunchy milk cream with a delicious sugar butter scent. This is wrapped in a strawberry chocolate coating, making for a mix of sweet and tangy.

Looks cute on the table served with tea

The design theme for the biscuit is “strawberry teatime.” Its pastel colour makes for a cute serving snack served with a cup of tea.

Japan’s egg tart chain Andrew’s Eggtart is baking up some special handmade strawberry tarts this spring made with fresh strawberries farmed in Japan.

Spring Strawberry | ¥380 (Before Tax)

The tarts are triple-layered with a strawberry compote, strawberry cream, and an in-house original custard cream. Each tart is finished with fresh cuts of succulent strawberry to finish, adding a fruity flavour to the sweet treat.

Japanese goods brand amie, which is managed by the same company that runs the popular online anime and hobby site Amiami, is set to host a collaboration between the popular mobile game HELIOS Rising Heroes and Harajuku’s quintessential crepe shop Marion Crêpes in Tokyo and Osaka from April 24 to May 9.

HELIOS Rising Heroes x Marion Crêpes 

The collaboration will see crepes inspired by the characters from HELIOS Rising Heroes. There’s also some free novelties prepared for those who purchase any of the crepes.

A special illustration of Marion Blythe as well as Faith Beams, whose birthday fell on February 14, has also been drawn specially for this collaboration. 16 of the heroes from the mobile game have also been illustrated in Marion Crêpes staff uniforms which can be seen in-store. Fans can also get their hands on a variety of collab merch, and an in-game event is currently taking place.

Don’t miss this special collaboration between HELIOS Rising Heroes and Marion Crêpes.

©2019 Happy Elements K.K

Japanese cake website Cake.jp is celebrating Japan’s annual Hinamatsuri festival this year by stocking a range of themed cakes and sweets by famous confectionery stores in the country.

Hinamatsuri, also known as Doll’s Day, is an annual Japanese festival to pray for the health and wellbeing of female children. Cake.jp has a very special line-up of around 100 sweet treats ready for enjoyment with cute motifs like unicorns and traditional Hinamatsuri dolls.

Hinamatsuri 2021: Hinamatsuri Unicorn

Hinamatsuri 2021: Hinamatsuri-Exclusive Chiffon Cakes

Hinamatsuri 2021: Yogurt Cake

Hinamatsuri 2021: Hinamatsuri-Exclusive Flower Cupcakes

This is just a select look at some of the delicious cakes on offer – visit Cake.jp to see the full line-up!

Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlets, an outdoor shopping centre in Hyogo, is having a strawberry-loaded time with a selection of desserts made with strawberries harvested in Sanda as well as a market themed on strawberries. The event is taking place from February 12 to March 21.

The line-up doesn’t shy away from strawberries in anyway, with the sweet and succulent red gems being used for crepes, pancakes, pizzas, drinks, and more.

The Sandai Ichigo Marche arrives for the first time at Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlets where visitors can buy whole bunches of strawberries of different types directly from the harvesters. It is being held on February 13 and 14 and March 13 and 14. And you can’t have a strawberry festival in Japan without enjoying a strawberry daifuku either, kindly provided by the old-time Sanda-based confectionery store Matsuedo.

Sanda Strawberry Menu (Prices Include Tax)

The menu features a line-up of desserts made with numerous strawberry varieties gathered in Sanda, such as the akihime and benihoppe. Each is made by different participating shops.

Tana Forno

Sanda Benihoppe Chocolate S’mores Pizza – ¥748 / Strawberry Squash – Single ¥550, Set ¥495

The dessert pizza is a perfect combination of benihoppe strawberry and chocolate.

Delifrance

Kobe-Sanda Strawberry Anpan – ¥300

Moist sweet bread with low-sugar coarse sweet bean paste, whipped cream, and strawberries.

Canvas

Sanda Strawberry Mixed Berry Crepe – ¥649

A triple whammy of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries decorate this crepe.

Kua’aina

Strawberry Pancake Brûlée – ¥930

A pancake brûlée loaded with strawberries.

Crazy Crepes

Sanda Strawberry Crazy Ichigo – ¥750

Enjoy the natural flavours of the strawberries as they are without any additions like chocolate.

Sandai Ichigo Marche

At the Sandai Ichigo Marche, visitors can buy strawberries, vegetables, strawberry daifuku, and more. It’s a celebration of all things Sanda.

Running: February 13, 2021 / February 14, 2021 / March 13, 2021 / March 14, 2021
Time: 11:00-15:00 (While supplies last)
Location: Garden Court (Will move under the galleria in front of the food gallery if it rains)

Enjoy the delicious taste of seasonal strawberries grown in the lush environment of the Rokkō Mountains.

Six branches of the hugely-popular PEANUTS Cafe in Japan are welcoming a collection of tasty new seasonal menu items this Saturday which are set to be served until March 14.

The Limited-Time Line-Up

Brownie Charles’s Brownie Chocolat | ¥950 (Before Tax)

Strawberry Whipped Hot Chocolate | Eat In ¥750 – Takeout ¥700 (Before Tax)

The collection includes a chocolate brownie inspired by the scene when Charlie Brown meets Peggy Jean for the first time. He is very nervous and mistakenly introduces himself as “Brownie Charlies.” There’s also a sweet strawberry hot chocolate topped with a squirt of whipped cream and drizzle of strawberry sauce.

(C) 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

Neko Neko Cheesecake, a bakery chain in Japan which cooks up cute desserts and pastries shaped like cats, is promoting the release of the two-part anime film Sailor Moon Eternal with two cheesecakes reminiscent of Luna and Artemis. The cakes will be sold from February 11 to March 25.

Sailor Moon Nyan Cheesecake (Mango) | ¥1,380 (Before Tax)

Sailor Moon Nyan Cheesecake (Strawberry) | ¥1,380 (Before Tax)

The cakes arrive in fruity mango and strawberry flavours, available both in-store at Neko Neko Cheesecake branches and via the online store All Hearts Mall in Japan. Both are also safely wrapped up and packaged in a cute box featuring a sailor uniform before being placed in a bag that has Luna and Artemis huddled together and sat atop a crescent moon.

The first film in the Sailor Moon Eternal series was released on January 8, 2021, and the second on February 11, 2021.

©武内直子・PNP／劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンEternal」製作委員会

Japanese bakery and confectionery company Nenrinya is releasing a takeout baumkuchen dessert which can be warmed up at home. The baumkuchen was released at Nenrinya’s JR Shinagawa Station branch on Monday (February 1) and will be released at their Daimaru Tokyo and Sogo Yokohama branches on February 16.

Hot Baum Shikkarime | ¥432 (Tax Included)

To heat up, you simply microwave it for 30 seconds at 500W. This leaves the inside moist and adds a crunch to the outside, all while helping to emit the sumptuous smell of that butter. It goes perfect with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk. Customise by adding some whipped cream or pour some melted chocolate over.

With just a small bit of ingenuity, turn everyday food into something cute using Kaori’s Easy Recipe! With a few simple ideas, an ordinary recipe magically transforms into a cute dish.

Today, I’ll be showing you how to make Strawberry Milk Chocolate Pudding, a delicious recipe whipped up with love for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients

✩Ingredients For Chocolate Pudding
35g chocolate
300ml milk
30g-35g granulated salt
5g gelatine (dissolved in 1 tbsp water)

✩Ingredients For Strawberry Pudding
100g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
350ml milk
30g-35g granulated salt
5g gelatine (dissolved in 1 tbsp water)

Weck jars for the dessert.

1

First, we’ll make the chocolate pudding.

Put the milk and granulated sugar into a pot and heat on the hob until the sugar melts. Turn the heat off, throw in the chocolate, and allow to fully melt. Once melted and the mixture is cooled, add the gelatine to dissolve.

2

Now, we’ll make the strawberry pudding.

Put the milk and granulated sugar into a pot and heat on the hob until the sugar melts.

Add the mix to a blender with the strawberries and blitz. Add back onto the hob and heat through slightly. Allow the mixture to cool then add the gelatine to dissolve.

3

Once both mixtures are completely cooled, add them to the jars in an alternating pattern and chill until set.

⚠️Make sure the dessert is completely set and not runny before serving. About an hour each in the refrigerator should be sufficient.

Top with cream and strawberries and enjoy!

Tokyo-based bakery Milk has released an adorable new milk pudding at two of its branches, both of which are served in cute milk bottles.

Smooth Pudding / Milk Pudding – ¥380 Each (Tax Included)

Box of 4

Box of 8

Pudding Soft

Carefully-selected and fresh milk of high quality is used to make these Japanese-style puddings, known as purin. Each and every one is handmade individually, and they can be bought separately or in boxes of 4 and 8. No preservatives, additives, of any nasty stuff is added to the dessert either.

Also on the menu is a milk-loaded soft serve ice cream. The cup it’s served in has a cute retro design to it.

3,500 FamilyMart convenience stores in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture welcomed a new dessert on Tuesday (February 9) conceived by the store staff themselves: the “Apricot Kernal & Mango Soufflé Pudding.” The delicious delight make its way to Japan’s Kanto region as well as Yamanashi and Nagano Prefectures on February 16 for a total of around 5,900 branches.

FamilyMart staff working in these regions all came together to pitch their ideas for a new dessert which included presentations and taste testing votes carried out by representative staff. This included everything from the dessert itself and its flavour to the price and packaging. The result was the adorable treat you see below.

Apricot Kernal & Mango Soufflé Pudding | ¥298 (Tax Included)

The Soufflé Pudding was actually first released at FamilyMart in November 2018 and is the convivence store’s number one most popular dessert for its combination of two desserts which bring together the fluffiness of soufflé and the melt-in-the-mouth texture of Japanese-style pudding. Their new iteration of the dessert features a milk pudding and a milk soufflé, the latter being made with whole apricot kernels. It’s finished with a cute panda branding. All of this sits on top of a mango pudding foundation, and on top of that mango whipped cream.

Comment from a staff member involved with pitching ideas

Store Staff at Musashi-Shinjō Station’s South Exit (Kawasaki, Kanagawa)

“Eating in Chinatown is something I’ve done occasionally since being a kid. It’s a place I’m very much familiar with, and that’s precisely why I wanted to come up with something to overcome the trouble that the pandemic has brought, so I pitched the idea of combining our popular Soufflé Pudding together with two things that are a staple in Chinese cooking: apricot kernels and mango pudding. We were conscious of making the panda branding cute so kids and girls would see it and think, ‘This looks good!’ I have confidence in this dessert and recommend it, even to those who don’t really eat pudding but like annin tofu. I hope lots and lots of people get to try it!”

Comment from a staff member involved in the product’s development

Arai, Kawasaki Chueigyosho in the Kanagawa Region (Kawasaki, Kanagawa)

“All the store staff working within Kanagawa Prefecture were free to submit their ideas when we were developing the product. Everyone working at the participating stores as well as staff members at the company all voted on 195 ideas, and one of them in particular shone from all the rest, so we went with that one. Coming up with how we were going to create the result as well as the price were first and foremost. We paid much attention to the entirety of the product including its taste, packaging design, how it should be presented on shelves, and so on. We are proud of what we have made, we’ve put our all into it so that the customer enjoys it from the moment they pick it up to eating and savouring the last bite. Please be sure to try it for yourself!”

The dessert is a collaborative effort between store staff and a twist on FamilyMart’s number one most popular dessert. If you’re planning a trip to Japan, be sure to head to your closest FamilyMart convenience store, now available in Tokyo and Kanagawa branches and subsequently across the Kanto region on February 16.