Sakura Season Treats: 12 Cherry Blossom Flavors to Try at Home

In short: Every spring, Japan turns pink. Traditional sweets use salted cherry leaves and pickled cherry blossoms, which taste gently floral and a little salty — a flavor many people compare to almond or vanilla. Modern shops add sakura versions of almost everything, from lattes to chocolate.

What does “sakura flavor” taste like?

Fresh cherry blossoms have very little taste. The famous sakura aroma appears when leaves and blossoms are pickled in salt. This brings out a sweet, almond-like fragrance (from a natural compound called coumarin). So most sakura treats are a balance of sweet, floral and slightly salty.

Koto’s tip: Yes, you can eat the leaf on sakura mochi! Some people do, some don’t — both are fine. Try one bite with and one without.

12 sakura treats to try

Traditional wagashi (Japanese sweets)

1. Sakura mochi, Kanto style (chōmeiji) A thin pink crepe made from flour, rolled around sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a salted cherry leaf. Common in Tokyo.

2. Sakura mochi, Kansai style (dōmyōji) Coarsely ground sweet rice, tinted pink, wrapped around bean paste and a salted leaf. It has a soft, bumpy texture. Common in Osaka and Kyoto.

3. Hanami dango Three chewy rice dumplings on a skewer — pink, white and green. They’re the classic snack for cherry blossom picnics.

4. Sakura yokan A smooth, sliceable jelly made from bean paste and agar, sometimes with a whole pickled blossom set inside like a flower in glass.

5. Sakura nerikiri Soft, hand-shaped sweets made in the form of cherry blossoms. They’re often served with matcha at tea gatherings.

Drinks

6. Sakurayu (桜湯), cherry blossom tea A salted blossom placed in a cup of hot water, where it slowly opens. It’s served at weddings and engagements in place of green tea — partly because a phrase with “tea” (cha o nigosu) means to be evasive, which is unlucky for a celebration.

7. Sakura latte A spring café drink, often milk with sakura syrup or white chocolate, topped with pink sprinkles or salted blossom.

8. Sakura green tea Green tea blended with dried cherry leaves or blossoms for a gentle floral scent.

Bakery and modern sweets

9. Sakura anpan A soft bun filled with sweet bean paste, topped with a salted cherry blossom pressed into the center. The salted-blossom anpan is famously linked to a Tokyo bakery in the late 1800s.

10. Sakura cookies and shortbread Butter cookies with pink icing or blossom shapes — popular as spring gifts.

11. Sakura chocolate and seasonal snacks Every spring, Japanese snack makers release limited sakura versions of chocolates, wafers and candy. They disappear when the season ends, which is part of the fun.

12. Sakura soft-serve ice cream Pale pink soft-serve with a light floral flavor, sold at parks and tourist spots during cherry blossom season.

How to enjoy sakura flavors at home

1. Make sakurayu. Rinse a salted blossom briefly to remove extra salt, place it in a cup and pour hot water over it. Watch it open.
2. Add salted blossoms to baking. Rinse and chop them into cookie or cake batter for a floral, salty note.
3. Host a mini hanami. Serve pink sweets with green tea or matcha — see How to Make Matcha.

Koto’s tip: Salted blossoms are very salty straight from the jar. Always soak or rinse them for a minute before using them in sweets.

FAQ

Is sakura flavor the same as cherry flavor? No. Western “cherry flavor” usually tastes like the fruit. Sakura flavor comes from the leaves and blossoms and tastes floral and slightly salty, not fruity.

When can I buy sakura treats in Japan? Usually from February to April. Many items are limited editions and sell out once the season moves on.

Are sakura treats vegan? Traditional wagashi like dango and yokan are usually plant-based, but always check the label — some contain egg, milk or gelatin.

Related

• Hanami Guide: How Japanese People Celebrate Cherry Blossoms
• Japanese Snack Boxes Compared
• What Is Matcha?