Sakura (桜) or cherry blossoms are deeply connected to Japan and its world famous spring season. This delicate flower holds a special place in Japanese culture, but Sakura isn’t just for admiring—it also adds a unique, floral flavour to food, bringing out the essence of spring in every bite.
Japanese people love the flavour of Sakura which brings a touch of elegance and charm to any dish. Read on to find out the 5 most popular Sakura foods we’ve picked, as well as a few adaptions of traditional sweets crafting them into modern creative treats. Also, we’ve included 6 FAQs about Sakura foods at the end of this article for quick reference.
Sakura Mochi
Sakura mochi (桜餅) is a chewy pink coloured rice cake filled with anko sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a salt-pickled Sakura cherry blossom leaf. The leaf adds a subtle salty taste to the sweetness enhancing the overall tasty flavour. Sakura Mochi is included in the traditional Japanese sweets group known as Wagashi and one of the must-eat special Sakura foods during Hanami cherry blossom viewing!
Hanami Dango (Sanshoku Dango)
Hanami Dango (花見団子), also known as Sanshoku Dango (三色団子), is a traditional Japanese sweet skewered on a stick, featuring three chewy rice flour dumplings in pastel colors—pink, white, and green. It’s often said that the colours represent; pink for cherry blossoms, white for snow or sake, and green for new leaves or new growth. Hanami Dango is one of the most popular treats to have during Hanami cherry blossom viewing!
Sakura Onigiri
Sakura Onigiri (桜おにぎり) is a Japanese rice ball infused with cherry blossom flavours, offering a delicate spring floral touch and slightly salty taste. You can make it by mixing cooked Japanese rice with finely chopped salt-pickled Sakura blossoms (usually requiring rinsing or briefly soaking in water to reduce saltiness), and then shape the rice into a ball or triangular form. You can use molds to shape other forms. Sakura Onigiri is a tasty twist on Sakura flavour and perfect for lunchboxes, quick bites or spring picnics!
Sakura Mont Blanc
Sakura cakes are delicate, cherry blossom-infused desserts that you can enjoy both the lovely taste and beauty of cherry blossoms. You can make a variety of cakes using Sakura syrup, extract, powder or finely grounded salt-pickled petals. They range from simple sponge cakes to fancy layer cakes as well as Sakura Mont Blanc, and they’re often paired with white chocolate or Matcha green tea for enhancing the flavour and taste. Sakura cakes can also be decorated with soft pink frosting, fresh cherry blossoms, or candied Sakura petals to look more attractive.
Sakura Soft-Serve Ice Cream
Sakura ice cream is a light floral-flavoured frozen treat made with cherry blossom essence, paste or finely crushed salt-pickled Sakura petals. Sakura Soft-Serve Ice Cream is a creamier, swirl-style version of Sakura ice cream, usually served in cones, and it offers a smooth texture with the same delicate Sakura flavour. Another frozen treat is Sakura parfait, a layered dessert with Sakura flavoured ice cream or jelly, whipped cream and crunchy bits like granola or fruits, topped with fresh or candied Sakura petals in a tall glass for a refreshing and elegant springtime treat.
Other Sakura-Flavoured Snacks & Sweets
The Sakura flavour isn’t only used in traditional sweets anymore. Lately, new and exciting Sakura-flavoured snacks are gaining popularity in Japan and creating a taste of spring for all. The popular snacks in Japan include Sakura KitKats, Sakura Pocky, Sakura Cookies, Sakura Crackers, Sakura Donuts and Sakura Jellies. Most of these Sakura foods are seasonal tasty treats and can only be bought during spring.
Where to Buy Sakura Foods in the UK?
To buy fresh or frozen Sakura Mochi and Hanami Dango in the UK, you can try Japanese supermarkets such as Waso, T.K. Trading and Japan Center which are listed in our post of Best Japanese Supermarkets Online.
Alternatively, you can get Sakura Mochi Candies, Sakuraco Japanese Snack Box, and Sakura Powder on Amazon UK, all of which together with the Sakura Sake Set are great to enjoy yourself or to give friends and family as spring gifts.
Also, if you’re residing in London, seasonal Sakura-flavoured cakes are available at WA Café and Tombo Café to try out. You can check our café reviews on WA Café | Tombo Café.
We hope you find this article helpful and you get a chance to eat some of the flavourful Sakura foods. These special Sakura foods do more than make your taste buds happy; they also give you a unique cultural adventure. Whether you try the traditional sweetness of Sakura Mochi or the fantastic looking Sakura Mont Blanc, every bite you take on Sakura foods will let you appreciate Japanese traditions as well as the taste of spring!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes Sakura Flavour Unique?
Sakura flavour is unique because it combines a delicate floral aroma with subtle sweet, slightly bitter, and faintly almond-like notes. Due to its delicacy, Sakura flavour pairs beautifully with soft, creamy, and lightly sweet ingredients such as mochi, white chocolate, milk, and Matcha green tea, creating a gentle, spring-like taste experience.
Is Sakura actually in the Sakura Foods?
For some Sakura foods, real cherry blossom extracts or petals are used. However, many manufactures tend to use artificial flavours. The taste can be different depending on the product. If you want to have an authentic taste, you should check the ingredient list for “cherry blossom,” “sakura” or “cherry blossom leaf.”
How Are Sakura Flavours Incorporated into Foods?
Sakura flavour is incorporated into foods using sakura extract, paste, powder, syrup or finely chopped salt-pickled cherry blossoms. In sweets, you get it in mochi, ice cream and cakes, adding a delicate floral note. In savory dishes like Sakura onigiri, edible cherry blossom petals can be added directly to it for a more subtle seasonal touch.
What Is the Best Time of Year to Enjoy Sakura Flavoured Products?
Some of the Sakura flavoured items can be found all year long, but the best time to enjoy them is in the spring season when the cherry blossoms are blooming in Japan. During this time, you can find plenty of special limited-edition Sakura foods and taste the freshest flavours especially when real petals are used.
Can Sakura Foods Be Found Outside of Japan?
Sakura foods mainly come from Japan, but they’re becoming popular in other countries, too. You can now find more Sakura flavoured items in Japanese supermarkets and Japanese cafés as well as online shops such as Amazon especially during the spring season.
Are There Any Health Benefits Associated with Sakura?
Yes, Sakura is an ingredient with gentle wellness offering several potential health benefits such as rich in antioxidants to help fight oxidative stress, skin benefits to help brighten skin, mild calming effects to support relaxation and circulation as well as anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce inflammation towards various health issues including arthritis and heart disease.
If you’re looking for more Japanese food related posts, try exploring our food category. For those who are interested in Japanese culture, please check out our culture section. Or you can head to our Instagram account for posts of fantastic restaurants, festivals and travel experiences.
Disclosure: We only recommend products and services we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. When you make a purchase through some links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you.
