Also known to many as the face of Ikebukuro, the Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store offers everything you can think of, from fashionable clothes to general sundries and even exquisite jewelry! Needless to say, you won't be in want of food and drink here. Let's see what they're offering in terms of Japanese and Western confections this spring!

Kyobashi Senbikiya Fruits Parlor has designed a colorful dessert topped with cut fruits in their natural round shape to really get you into the mood for admiring nature and the season of spring. This parfait can be enjoyed in the store or as a takeout. You'll be surprised by how well savory sakura ice-cream goes with sweet black sesame soup, pumpkin ice-cream, and matcha ice-cream!

Need a breather after all that shopping? Le Poire offers freshly ground coffee and a quiet place to rest and relax. The restaurant also serves up hot cakes, anmitsu (jelly cubes with fruits and sweet syrup), assorted Japanese pastries, and of course, the "Sakura Parfait" that you won't find anywhere else in Japan. This delectable dessert, made of sakura ice-cream, matcha ice-cream, warabimochi (jelly-like sticky rice cubes sprinkled with soybean powder), red bean paste, and other luxurious ingredients not commonly seen in a traditional parfait is bound to put you in the right mood for the spring season ahead!

Fauchon Paris Le Cafe is being operated by well-established French high-end food store, Fauchon. A couple of the more popular items in the cafe include eclairs and savarin cake soaked in two types of rum syrup. This is the place to go to for modern sweets with a distinct French flair. "Eclair Sakura", on the other hand, was designed after the traditional Japanese spirit. Each tasty treat is decorated with sugar-crafted flower petals, stuffed full of sakura custard cream and dried cherries, and coated with a sakura candy glaze for the perfect sakura flavoring. At Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store, you can also go for a "Drink Set" with a choice of black tea, herb tea, flavor tea, or coffee.

Afternoon Tea Tearoom highly recommends indulging your afternoons with a cup of tea and dessert, and the eatery is fully stocked with delicious tea, snacks, and even pasta to that end. In the spirit of the sakura season, the shop is offering a springtime-only dessert tea that gives off an aroma reminiscent of sakura flowers - perfect for your leisurely spring afternoons. The ever-popular chai done cappuccino style is a surprisingly pleasant combination. Sit back and let "Sakura Cappuccino Chai with Sweet Red Bean Paste" energize you this spring!

Shinjuku Nakamuraya is a well-established Western restaurant with a few signature offerings, such as Western food arranged in Japanese-style set meals, traditional authentic Indian-style curry, and more. Always eager to please its clientele, the restaurant's "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy is a sakura-flavored anmitsu presented in a waffle bowl - their answer to countless requests and suggestions for it. The centerpiece of the dish is a scoop of delicious sakura ice-cream, framed with a generous amount of strawberries, agar, red bean paste, and rice flour dumplings that will satisfy even the toughest of dessert connoisseurs!

Gateaux de Voyage has a flagship shop in Yokohama Bashamichi street, and the chain is known for their "episodic" brand of dessert. All the cakes and baked goods freshly made by dedicated patissiers here every day are somehow charmingly nostalgic. Highly recommended during spring is the "Sakura Mille-Feuille" that is filled to the brim with sakura cream within and topped with strawberry cream as a finish. Also available on their menu is pickled sakura - for those who wish to bite into a little bit of spring!

Hailing from Urawa, a city of tradition and culture blessed by lush nature and abundant springs, Kasho Hanami was established in the year 1912 and is well-known for their "Hakurohō (Heron Treasure)", a Japanese confectionery diligently made in the shape of a heron's egg. Throughout the years, many have fallen in love with this simple yet tasty snack. And now, specially for "Sakura Gourmet", the shop has produced a charming namagashi (fruit jelly) inspired by sakura petals that is bound to enthrall you with its subtle sakura-based design and flavor.

Patisserie Mon Cher - perhaps most well-known for its opulently creamy "Dōjima Roll" roll cakes - is a favorite stop for those looking to give their loved ones a sweet treat. The "Sakura Entremet" is a strawberry shortcake made of "Dōjima Roll" cream and gorgeously decorated with chocolate flower petals and meringue. The contrasting taste of sweet cream and tangy strawberries creates a gentle internal friction that will warm the cockles of your heart.

The iconic Shinjuku Takashimaya is probably best known as a place for branded goods shopping, but the basement floors of this department store are quite a sight to behold as well. To seek out more "Sakura Gourmet" delicacies, we'll be going right down to the first basement level, where a dazzling array of restaurants and eateries abound.

Nadaman Chubo is all about bringing the traditional Japanese hospitality and taste of Nadaman, a well-established Japanese restaurant to the dining table of the masses, and this spring, they're introducing a bento lunchbox that coincides with the changing of seasons. Yes, this is their "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy - a seasonal set meal by the name of "Hana no Tayori (Flower Tidings)" that is meant to usher in the approaching spring. The meal is packed with goodies like bamboo rice, large roll omelet sushi, flavored stew, cooked prawns, and other colorful ingredients.

While seemingly old-fashioned, nothing says seasonal quite like traditional confectionery, and Meika Hyakusen has a massive collection of famous snacks from all over Japan, including namagashi that look more like beautiful works of art than edible snacks! That's why, when you look at their "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy - a sweetened mashed dessert meticulously crafted by expert hands - you can't help but feel like it would be a shame to eat something so well-made. Each namagashi is meant to showcase a different facet of spring.

Directly connected to Seibu Shinjuku Station, Seibu Shinjuku Pepe is a shopping area known for its variety of interesting shops offering items like casual wear, daily goods, cafe food, and many others. Of course, that also means there are plenty of shops selling snacks and foodstuff as well, so encountering a "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy or two here won't be a problem at all!

Wrapped Crepe Korot sells springy square-shaped crepes that are popular with people of all ages. Their spring-only "Sakura Crepe" is fully loaded with sakura-colored cream and topped with springy gyūhi (soft sticky rice ball) and sakura paste for maximum pleasure.

Besides high-quality household goods, Dolce Felice Regalo is also known for their assortment of handmade snacks made from stringently selected ingredients.
Needless to say, they've come up with the sweetest of gift snacks that will bring happiness to you and your loved ones this season as well!

This charming light pink roll cake is a limited time seasonal item made of fluffy sakura sponge, fragrant sakura paste, and smooth fresh cream that will delight your taste buds. The colorful toppings fit the season of spring to a T.

Two pieces of cute flower-shaped shortbread in plain and chocolate flavors. They come packed in a gorgeous pink box, making for an attractive gift.

Twenty pieces of cute flower-shaped shortbread in plain and chocolate flavors. Each shortbread is individually wrapped, so sharing them will be an easy affair. The box is popular as both a souvenir and gift.

Tokyu Hands' lifestyle-themed shop "Hands Be" offers a full selection of interesting daily goods - mainly items such as natural cosmetics and stationery that will add color to your life. And once the season switches to spring, you'll find yourself taking long and lingering second looks at their sakura black tea or hōjicha selection. The attractive packaging and the fact that they're eligible for tax-free treatment means they're great candidates for souvenirs to bring home from Japan for sure!

Muji stores feature a large variety of good quality clothing, household goods, food, and other lifestyle-related items. The truth is, many customers also visit the store just for their selection of snacks!
For Muji's "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy, look out for their "Mini Dorayaki with Sakura Mochi". These delectable tidbits are baked with castella dough that has been thoroughly kneaded with sakura leaves. One pack of three sells for a very reasonable 190 yen - certainly the secret to its appeal! Muji is also a tax-free shop, so you can absolutely do your souvenir shopping here to maximize your yen.

Located beyond the west exit of Shinjuku station, Shinjuku Metro Food Street is a place that celebrates cuisines of all sorts, be they Japanese, Western, or otherwise. Enjoy the olden atmosphere here as you walk around in search for your next "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy!

Ever since its establishment as a bakery in the year 1901, Shinjuku Nakamuraya has been running on the management philosophy of creating new value and contributing to healthy and meaningful living. Most Japanese are familiar with its baked goods, including such items as mooncakes, dorayaki (red bean paste pancake), usuawase (pie crust pastry), seasonal namagashi like kusamochi (leaf sticky rice cake), sakuramochi (sakura-flavored sticky rice cake with red been filling), Chinese buns, curry, and many others. Their massively popular dorayaki has also been transformed into a "Sakura Gourmet" delicacy.

This limited time seasonal mooncake is jam-packed with layers of pink sakura paste and Hokkaido azuki paste. As you bite into the light fragrance of sakura leaves, you'll find yourself realizing that spring is much nearer than you thought!

Sakura and azuki paste mixed with sakura leaf bits is stuffed between two pieces of sweet dough that have been baked to a fluffy perfection. A single bite is more than enough to satisfy your craving for spring!

A delicious pie crust enwraps the sakura-scented filling, making it just the right pie to enjoy for a full taste of spring.

Cheese Tart Specialty Store Pablo is one store you'll never get tired of visiting. Not only will you always see old favorites such as the melty "Pablo Nude" cheese cake and the fluffy "Pablo Cheese Tart" that has captured the hearts of many, you'll also find an ever-rotating menu of seasonal cheese tarts designed to satisfy virtually every taste bud to be found.

"Melty Cheese Pudding - Sakura" is a cream cheese pudding that will, as its name suggests, melt in your mouth. The sweet-and-sour sauce is made with sakura flowers and leaves, and the entire treat is topped with a pickled sakura. Don't be fooled by its trendy appearance - the light fragrance of sakura combined with the cheese pudding's rich flavor is, in fact, a surprisingly tasteful combination that will fully sate your senses.

Written by: Yoko