Spring is on its way and all of Japan is getting ready to welcome it with a celebration beneath the sakura cherry trees. Sharing food and drink among cherry blossoms is a centuries old tradition called hanami. With the sakura blossoms a symbol for renewal and life itself, it is the perfect occasion to leave winter behind and look to the coming year together with loved ones.
This month we are bringing the feeling and joy of hanami to you, with sakura themed and flavored Japanese sweets. Have your own hanami tea party and enjoy Japanese cakes, sweets and tea with friends and family.
Ishizuka Glass (Aichi)
Not Dishwasher or Microwave Friendly
Hanami is an unmissable event in Japan. Sharing a drink with friends old and new under the cherry blossoms is a time-honored tradition. Explore it too with this unique glass.
A one-of-a-kind Japanese sake glass made exclusively for Sakuraco. Adorned with falling cherry blossoms mixed with the luxurious gold accents, welcome spring and enjoy a refreshing drink.
Gion Tsujiri (Kyoto)
Common Allergens: None
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Tea
Noted for its combination of bold and umami flavors, sencha is a refreshing tea for chilly early spring mornings. Produced in Kyoto, known for superior tea production, enjoy Gion Tsujiri’s elegant sencha tea this month.
To bring out the full flavor of the tea, brew the tea in water boiled to 100℃. However, if you prefer a more mild flavor, try enjoying it with water heated to roughly 70-80℃.
By FDI (Kagawa)
Common Allergens: Eggs, Dairy, Wheat, Soy
May Contain Traces Of: Banana, Almond
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Egg (domestic production), wheat flour, sugar, shortening, margarine, reduced sugar syrup, cornstarch, processed cherry blossom extract, edible emulsified fat, emulsifier, expander, sorbitol, acidulant, flavoring, coloring (lac, caratenoids)
Exclusively made for Sakuraco this spring season, FDI’s moist and sweet baumkuchen has the fragrant aroma and elegant flavor accent of Japanese cherry blossoms. A truly unique and fluffy Japanese cake experience.
Marui Foods (Kanagawa)
Common Allergens: None
May Contain Traces Of: Apple, Peach, Kiwi
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Reduction syrup, cherry / trehalose, acidulant, gelling agent (polysaccharide thickener), V.C, sweetener (acesulfame K), vegetable color.
Refreshing and elegant, Marui’s Sakuraco exclusive Japanese jelly is filled with cherry blossoms and cherry blossom flavor. Enjoy the flavors of the spring season in this spring treat that is perfect for sharing.
Takayanagi Seicha (Shizuoka)
Common Allergens: Dairy
May Contain Traces Of: Wheat, Peanuts, Soy
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Egg whites (Domestic product), sugar, almond powder, edible fats, icing sugar, rice flour, dried egg whites, green tea, powdered green tea, pickled cherry leaves / red yeast malt, flavoring
Beloved Shizuoka based tea producer has worked with Sakuraco to create an exclusive sakura version of their famed dacquoise, known for the unique combination of crispy outer layer that surrounds a flavorful and elegant soft center.
Morihaku Confectionery (Gifu)
Common Allergens: Peach
May Contain Traces Of: Dairy, Egg, Wheat, Almond, Orange, Sesame, Soy, Gelatin, Apple
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Sugar, sugar syrup, concentrated peach juice, gelling agent (polysaccharide thickener), pH adjuster, flavoring, safflower color, acidulant, antioxidant (V.C)
Upon opening the package, you’ll be greeted with the aroma of fresh peaches. Filled with peach pulp, giving it an unforgettable texture, the refreshing flavor of this Japanese peach jelly from renowned jelly makers Morihaku is not to be missed.
Tokyo Bread (Toyama)
Common Allergens: Eggs, Dairy, Wheat, Soy, Apple
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Wheat flour (made in Japan), flower paste, sugar, eggs, shortening, baker's yeast, whey powder, margarine, processed cherry blossom extract (isomerized liquid sugar, cherry blossom extract), isomerized liquid sugar, salt, sprouted brown rice baker's yeast seeds / processed starch, sake
flavoring, polysaccharides, coloring (Gardenia, red yeast malt, lac), acidulant
Tokyo Bread and Sakuraco have worked hard together to bring you this exclusive Sakura Sweet Bread, experimenting with many recipes until we could find the perfect balance of sakura flavor and color.
Bairindo (Saitama)
Common Allergens: Egg, Dairy Wheat, Soy
May Contain Traces Of: Buckwheat, Peanuts, Shrimp
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Flour (domestic product), chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, vegetable fats, cream, maltose), sugar, margarine (processed fats, fermented butter, butter oil, vegetable fats), sweetened eggs (eggs, sugar), strawberry puree (strawberries, sugar), maltose, strawberry syrup concentrate (sugar, strawberries), reduced maltose syrup, glucomannan, strawberry powder, vegetable fats, salt/expansion agent, emulsifier, processed starch, flavoring, coloring (carotene, red No. 102, caramel) Acidulant, antioxidant (V.E, V.C), preservative (K sorbate, sodium benzoate, sulphite)
The award winning Yawaraka cookie lives up to its name, yawarakai meaning ‘soft’ in Japanese. The soft texture of this cookie is only second to its sweet flavor that combines rich white chocolate and fruity strawberry.
Gion Tsujiri (Kyoto)
Common Allergens: Egg, Dairy, Wheat
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Sugar (domestic product), shortening, wheat flour, whole eggs, skimmed milk powder, cornstarch, green tea, cream, dextrin / emulsifier, flavoring, antioxidant (tocopherol)
A confectionery highly popular in its native Kyoto, the rolled crispy base holds a sweet Uji Matcha cream inside. A harmonious blend between crispy outer layer, bitter matcha and sweet cream.
Yuranosuke Confectionery (Tokyo)
Common Allergens: Egg, Dairy, Wheat
May Contain Traces Of: Soy
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Red bean paste (domestic product), sugar, wheat flour, sweetened skimmed condensed milk, chicken egg, reduced starch saccharide, sugar syrup, cherry leaf extract (isomerized liquid sugar, cherry leaf extract) / sorbitol, swelling agent, acidulant (citric acid), flavouring, colouring (lac)
Manju are often a popular choice of sweet during the spring season thanks to their light and fluffy texture. Inside the steamed buns you’ll find a delicious sakura infused sweet bean jam that contrasts the savory outer layer.
Minoya Arare Confectionery (Kanagawa)
Common Allergens: Wheat, Soy
May Contain Traces Of: Peanuts, Dairy, Egg, Crab, Shrimp
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Glutinous rice (from Thailand), soy sauce, protein hydrolysate, sugar, seaweed / thickener (processed starch), caramel color, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), sweetener (extract of candlenut)
Bite size cherry blossom crackers accented with chopped nori, these soy sauce flavored treats are perfect for a light and crispy snack at a hanami party.
Izumi Bussan (Tokyo)
Common Allergens: Egg, Dairy, Wheat, Soy
May Contain Traces Of: Peanuts
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Wheat flour (domestic product), sugar, margarine, eggs, green tea, salt, chlorella, dilatant, flavoring, carotene color
Shizuoka is a hotspot for tea in Japan, and the source of the tea used in this crispy treat from Izumi Bussan, the bitter flavor perfectly contrasts the sweetness of sakura.
Village Nishimura (Shiga)
Common Allergens: Dairy, Wheat, Shimp, Soy, Sesame
May Contain Traces Of: Peanuts, Egg
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Ingredients: Wheat flour (domestic product), margarine, sugar, wine, shrimps, white sesame seeds, butter, skimmed milk powder, salt/inflating agent, emulsifier, flavoring, antioxidant (sulphites)
A mature senbei with a delicious combination of flavors. Combining the sweetness of sugar and the savory flavors of wine and shrimp, this crispy snack shows a new side of Japanese snacks.
Sanshu Confectionery (Saitama)
Common Allergens: Wheat, Soy, Mackerel, May Contain Traces Of: Egg, Dairy, Shrimp
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Ingredients: Rice cracker base (uruchi rice (domestic), starch), vegetable oil, sugar, soy sauce (including wheat and soybeans), fermented seasoning, liquid seasoning (amino acid solution, water candy, salt, glucose), glucose fructose liquid sugar, honey, bonito flakes extract (including mackerel), salt, bonito flakes extract powder / seasoning (amino acid, etc.)
Mixing sweet and spicy to create an umami flavor, this crispy fried rice cracker is flavored with a sweet and savory soy sauce. A delicious Japanese light snack.
Iwatsuka Confectionery (Niigata)
Common Allergens: Dairy, Soy
May Contain Traces Of: Egg, Wheat, Peanuts, Shrimp, Crab
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Ingredients: Rice (domestic product), vegetable oil, sugar, ume flavor seasoning, glucose, starch, dextrin, salt, seasoning (amino acid etc.), acidulant, vegetable lecithin, flavoring, anthocyanin pigment, sweetener (stevia, candlenut)
Before the sakura blooms, we’ll often see the ume (plum) blossoms bloom. Inspired by this, we selected this crispy senbei with a uniquely sweet and sour flavor - the result of using plums grown in Japan’s Kishu region.