Have you heard of Osamu Watanabe? You won't forget his name by the end of this article. He is an installation and contemporary artist that draws his inspiration from the world of sweets and confections. He has drawn much attention not just in Japan but overseas too in countries like the US, Italy, Turkey, Indonesia and China with his various exhibitions. Watanabe is set to take his "Museum of Sweets" exhibition to Shinjuku where it will open at the Odakyu Department Store on July 31. The candy creations will be split throughout 9 different areas such as the titular room Museum of Sweets as well as the Forest of Sweets, Banquet of Sweets, Sweets Aquarium and more, all of which are sure to tickle the taste buds of sweet tooth visitors. What's more is that you are permitted to take photos, opening the door for countless photo opportunities for Instagram.   Osamu Watanabe will also be present to host a workshop on 4 separate days so you can craft your own cookie charm using materials Watanabe actually uses in his creations.   Enter a fantastic candy land cooked up by the one and only Osamu Watanabe.

Kyoto is renowned for its historical architecture and richness in traditional Japanese culture, but did you know it's also home to some extremely cute and delicious desserts? Their sweets and desserts are actually pretty popular, some of which contain motifs and little nods to the city.   Today, Instagrammer meme takes us on a tour in Kyoto to try out 4 popular desserts.   JEREMY&JEMIMAH JEREMY&JEMIMAH is a shop selling cute and colourful cotton candy. Their staple Wata-Hako cotton candy comes in 10 different flavours! In the photo we have yuzu, rose and matcha flavours. Of the two branches of the store, there is one along Furukawacho Shopping Street where you order your cotton candy for takeout, and another in Yasaka that serves cotton candy on long sticks. We picked up a few different ones since there are so many flavours and designs. It was fun lining them up to take a picture.   We took them home to eat and they stayed nice and fluffy the whole way back. The yuzu one tasted a little herbal, like it was healthy for you.   ▼JEREMY&JEMIMAH (Furukawacho Shopping Street Branch) Address: Furukawacho Shopping Street, 444-3 Hachikenchō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto Opening Hours: 11:00-17:00 Official Website: http://www.jeremyjemimah.com/     ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK At ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK, you can order these iced dessert matcha and houjicha lattes which are topped with yatsuhashi―a confection sold in Kyoto―shaped into various sights across the city including Kyoto Tower, Hōkanji Temple, Daimonji, a Torii gate, and more.   I ordered the matcha latte. The drink itself isn't sweet at all so you can enjoy the full original rich and bitter flavour of the matcha. The fresh cream however is quite sweet so you can mix it into the drink as much as you want to get your desired flavour. There are lots of great spots in the area such as the Hōkanji Temple pagoda and Yasaka Shrine so  you can snap some great sightseeing photos♡   ▼ROCCA & FRIENDS TRUCK Address: 370 Yasaka Kamimachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture Opening Hours: 9:00-18:00 Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocca.truck/     Jumondo We also visited Jumondo which sells Kyoto-style dango, or "sweet dumplings." We shared three different orders amongst three people: Danraku (団楽) which comes as a set with a drink, Dandan (だんだん) which comes with matcha, and Zenzai to Aburi Kuri Kinton (ぜんざいと炙り栗きんとん).   Once you order, the dango are made fresh so are served hot and chewy. Each dumpling is on the small side so are nice and easy to eat.   The Danraku comes with five different dumplings including sweet soy glaze, mashed sweet bean paste, soy sauce and black sesame seed, fried, and white miso. The Dandan comes with three types of your choice and a wafer filled with mashed sweet bean paste. The Zenzai to Aburi Kuri Kinton with mashed sweet potatoes with sweetened chestnut dango. The final one comes with matcha which can be served hot or cold.   Everything was tasty but my personal favourite was the yuzu flavoured white miso dumpling. The one that everybody raved about was the Zenzai which is a thick soup that the dango are placed into. These dumplings are bigger, not too sweet and light. The soup went really well with the dango, it was super tasty.   ▼Jumondo Address: 76 Tamamizuchō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto TEL: 075-525-3733 Official Website: http://jumondo.jp/index.html     Kyo Yasaka Pudding Yasaka is a particularly popular tourist spot in Kyoto, and that's where the cute purin shop Kyo Yasaka Pudding is located. Purin is a type of custard purring sold in Japan. The first pudding we picked up was the store's recommended option named after the store itself, the Kyo Yasaka Pudding. It contains a transparent lemon and honey flavoured jelly inside which there are small and colourful agar agar balls and mango jelly balls.   It has an enjoyable texture and a refreshing sweetness that I've never experienced before with other purin. It's very tasty!   There are five flavours to choose from, the others being hard, smooth, matcha and black soy bean, and houjicha black soy bean. All are served in tiny cute jars. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing too. Each is made with ingredients sourced in Kyoto including the milk, Uji matcha, houjicha, and black soy beans. They also sell soft serve ice cream topped with candy balls, very Kyoto-like! You can choose from vanilla, matcha, or a mix of both. I think it'll be really fun if you can snap a photo of your ice cream with one of Yasaka's stylish locations in the background! Speaking of which, there was a cute illustration on the wall of the store so we took our photo there.   Be sure to pay a visit to Kyo Yasaka Pudding to pick up your own pudding whether as a souvenir or for yourself.   ▼Kyo Yasaka Pudding Address: 87-4 Hoshinochō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture TEL: 075-533-8338 Official Website: https://kyo-yasaka-pudding.co.jp/     Kyoto is full of shops selling desserts and sweets perfect to walk around and munch on while you walk its ancient streets, or to take home as a souvenir. Enjoy all the tasty things you can during your visit to this beautiful city♡   --- Photos/Text: memeTranslation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

If you are wondering what Japan is particularly good at, matcha desserts is definitely one of them. However, you don't have to go to a shop that specialises in matcha sweets to get your fill. Matcha desserts can be easily obtained from the convenience store and once you start, it is hard to stop.    Today, Instagrammer Yukko is going to introduce you to three delicious matcha desserts that you can get from Seven Eleven.Dorayaki Pancakes Filled With Matcha Cream ￥278 (before tax)Seven Eleven is always selling some kind of delicious matcha cream-filled dorayaki. This time, the name has been changed slightly. This dorayaki is just ￥3 more expensive than last time, however it looks just as good as it always has. You just will not be able to resist buying it. As you take your first bite of this high-quality snack, the scent of the matcha will reach you first, followed by the flavour of the matcha which spreads instantly through your mouth. The matcha is rich yet so light that it will instantly melt on your tongue. The pancakes sandwiching the large creamy matcha filling are both fluffy and thick. Cut it in half and you will not be able to resist. This is a wonderful snack to sink your teeth into while you walk. If you want to keep your hands clean, you could even use a spoon to scoop out the filling. Enjoy it in your own unique way as it is tasty no matter how you choose to enjoy it!Matcha and Matcha Parfait ￥278As the name implies, this matcha parfait is the perfect opportunity to taste a variety of matcha flavours in one single tub. From the bottom, the cup is filled with matcha jelly, followed by matcha mousse, milk mousse and matcha whipped cream. Within the layers of matcha whipped cream you will discover a goldmine of matcha jelly and a dorayaki pancake core. The matcha flavour of the jelly is quite weak, however its wobbly and springy texture contributes to the deliciousness of the parfait. The moderately sweet whipped cream combined with the matcha flavour is perfectly balanced. The milk mousse has a rich, milky flavour. It may be sweet, however the matcha mousse underneath it is slightly bitter, so enjoy them together for a delicious overall flavour.    The fluffy matcha mousse and rich matcha is unbelievably delicious. The dorayaki centre is soft, fluffy and thick which accents the flavour. Overall, the parfait is not overpoweringly sweet and the matcha flavour is gentle on your tongue.  Uji Matcha Cream Mochi: ￥110 (before tax )Uji Matcha Cream Mochi is a soft, thin and chewy dough that is rolled out thin and then wrapped around a large spoon of uji matcha cream. This is always a popular pick. Last time, they served the uji matcha chocolate mochi. I wonder how the Uji Matcha Cream Mochi will taste!This time, the mochi has a slightly more springy texture. The outside is chewy, yet the inside is gooey. This mochi cake is bursting with matcha so you can really enjoy the matcha flavour. The bitter matcha flavour is perfectly balanced with a touch of sweetness. This dessert even come with a fork so that you don't have to get your hands dirty. I know, it is hard to choose which matcha dessert to try. Convenience stores are always refreshing the varieties of goods they sell, so if you are particularly attracted to any of the desserts mentioned above, it is probably best to try them before they are replaced.   Mogu Mogu Yukko introduces lots of desserts and sweets that are easily found in convenience stores and supermarkets on her Instagram so please check out her other posts: Photos and Text: Mogu Mogu Yukko