Japanese Desserts Guide

Layered green tea ice cream, mochi, red bean, cornflakes, and whipped cream. The ultimate matcha experience.

Where: Kyoto (Nakamura Tokichi, Tsujiri), Tokyo department stores

Year-round

Fluffy shaved ice with syrups. Japanese version is lighter, fluffier than any shaved ice you've had.

Where: Summer festivals, specialty shops (Himitsudo in Yanaka)

Summer (May-September)

Souffle pancakes that jiggle. Thick, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth. Instagram famous for good reason.

Where: A Happy Pancake, Gram (limited daily), Bills

Year-round

Fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean, custard, or chocolate. Crispy outside, warm inside.

Where: Street vendors, Naniwaya Sohonten (Tokyo), temple areas

Best in winter

Traditional Japanese confections. Delicate, seasonal, works of art. Paired with matcha.

Where: Toraya, Tsuruya Yoshinobu, tea houses everywhere

Designs change seasonally

Japanese soft serve is creamier and comes in wild flavors. Hokkaido milk is legendary.

Where: Everywhere, especially Hokkaido and Okinawa

Year-round

Chewy rice cake in many forms. Daifuku (filled), warabi mochi (bracken starch), seasonal varieties.

Where: Specialty shops, convenience stores, department stores

Different types each season

Light, jiggly, cotton-soft. Different from Western cheesecake. Less sweet, more delicate.

Where: Uncle Tetsu's, Pablo, Rikuro Ojisan (Osaka)

Year-round