Eatable Cherry Blossoms! – Sakura Mochi, the Traditional Japanese Confection

Kozue 2016-03-242022-12-15 0 Comments Cherry Blossoms, Culture, Old Tokyo, Spring

Did you know? We can eat cherry blossoms and leaves!

…Wait, I do NOT mean that I nip blossoms from a cherry tree in Ueno Park and throw them into my mouth.

The fact is that there are some foods of sakura flavors, salt blossoms and/or salt leaves, which are sold only in cherry blossom season.

Sakura-mochi is a traditional Japanese confection which is made of salt cherry leaves, rice dumplings and sweet beans. I think that sakura mochi is the very best of all sakura foods!

Sakura Mochi (Rice Dumpling with Cherry Leaf)

The flavor of cherry leaves is so elegant and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!
I don’t want you to miss it when you visit Japan to view cherry blossoms.

Sakura-mochis are sold at Japanese confectioneries.
When you visit a department store or big shopping center, go to the underground floor where food shops are all around. (If you have a travel guidebook, it is called, “depa-chika.”) You’ll find some Japanese confectioners there.
Also, there are in big train stations such as Tokyo, Ueno, Shinagawa, etc.
Or, you will see some head stores in the streets in Ginza.

Ginza Akebono (Sakura Mochi is on the flag.)

Actually, Ginza is a retro place for locals, but it is one of the central districts for international tourists, especially shoppers. Many international travelers were visiting Akebono.

I must tell you one thing.
There are two types of sakura-mochi. One is Domyoji type originated from Kyoto, and the other is Chomeiji type which was newly made in Yedo (Tokyo’s old name) in the 18th century.

My photo is Domyoji and that of Ginza Akebono is Chomyoji. See the difference? Domyoji is wet, fresh rice dumpling. On the other hand, Chomyoji is baked.

Inside the Sakura Mochi.

I PERSONALLY accept only Domyoji – I’m a Tokyo local, not Kyoto, so I’m not very happy to support Kyoto people who still believe that they are the absolute capital of Japan, but I put away the indifferent rivalry when it comes to sakura-mochi. Soft, wet and fresh Domyoji is the best.

But whichever you buy, you can try the tastes of salt cherry leaf and sweet bean fillings!

Sakura mochis are seasonal sweets.
If you are traveling in Japan for cherry blossoms, experience them in your mouth, too.
You are reading Tokyo Direct Diary, so you’ll never miss it!

MORE Cherry Blossoms on TDD!

The Full-Blooming Weeping Cherry Tree in the Japanese Garden of Rikugien – This large famous Japanese garden in Tokyo City often sell eatable sakura such as jam, salt blossoms, snacks, etc, in cherry blossom season.