There’s no doubt that when you hear the word Spring, the Sakura or cherry blossoms, which happened to be the beloved flower and national symbol of Japan is the very first thought that you would think about.
During Spring or Sakura Season, the whole nation turns into pink not only because the cherry blossoms are in full bloom but also the queen of all spring food, strawberries. A large variety of different strawberries also grows at this season. Combining strawberries, fresh sakura petal’s aroma and flavor, and its salted and dried leaves make the food in Japan turns into a delicious food full of pink.
Now that this month marks the beginning of the Sakura Season, here are the Sakura food and drinks that the Japanese enjoy and you need to try.
Sakura and Strawberry Flavored Starbucks
Starbucks Japan has already released its Sakura Collection which includes Sakura-themed merchandise collection and their spring limited beverage. Their spring-limited drinks are Sakuraful Milk Latte (hot) and Sakuraful Frappucino (iced). Both drinks are made with cherry blossoms and strawberry flavor to make you feel the spirit of Sakura season.
Sakura Jelly
It might look like a painting but this one is really a dessert. Sakura Jelly is a jellied sweet made with clear or translucent gelatin with sakura petals inside. The look of this Sakura food creates a staggering cherry blossom dessert this Sakura season.
Mister Donut Sakura Donut
This Sakura season, Mister Donut released 6 kinds of limited Sakura-flavored donuts. You just need to choose between Sakura Petal Donut with cherry-flavored glaze, Sakura Petal Donut - Kinako which has a sprinkled kinako sugar, Sakura Petal Donut - Azuki which has sweet bean paste, Sakura-Fashioned which has a crispy texture, Sakura- Chocolate Fashioned with chocolate coating, and Sakura-Fashioned honey with honey-flavored glaze.
Sakura Senbei
Squid is also popular during Sakura season. This seasonal sakura-flavored senbei is a perfect mix of salty and sweet with sakura flowers, mirin or sweet sake, wheat, and its main ingredient, squid. The unique combination of this food is made into a thin toasted rice cracker to captivate your taste buds.
Coca Cola
Coca Cola Japan continues to release its seasonal tradition with another Sakura-designed bottle. This year, Coca Cola decorated their bottles with cherry blossoms, from unopened buds to full blossoms in a multi-colored background with pinky purple tones.
Sakura Tea
Often called as sakura cha or sakura yu, the Sakura tea is made with cherry blossoms pickled in salt which gives this drink a saltiness taste at first sensation and a floral aftertaste. The subtle aftertaste created by the sakura remains for a few minutes in your mouth.
Sakura Mochi
Of all the cherry blossom trees this Sakura Season, Sakura Mochi is the most popular. Sakura mochi is a light pink-colored rice cake, wrapped in the salted leaves of the cherry tree, and filled with sweetened white bean or red bean paste called anko. A salted sakura leaf is wrapped around the mochi to give this traditional Japanese dessert a salty treat.
Itadakimasu! Which among the list will you try this Sakura season? Be sure to include any of these for that signature Sakura Season treat.
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