Fruit tart specialist shop Qu'il fait bon will be selling a brand new kind of lovable tart which is made using a rare species of grape sourced from Yamanashi prefecture. The tart is currently selling at Grand Maison, Ginza and Hamamatsu. These will be available for a limited period only. The tart is covered with incredibly rare "My Heart" grapes, which were developed by the grape research institute Shimura Budou Kenkyusho. Growing and cultivating these grapes was no easy task and took an incredible amount of time. There was only a short window of time available to harvest the produce and even then the harvest was small, so stocking up was very difficult. Despite the challenges, these tongue-tantalizing tarts are being sold this year, however, they are in limited supply. Shine muscat grapes and loubell muscat grapes were crossbred to create this new kind of grape. The marvellous flavour of both parent grapes can be tasted. The new grapes have a high sugar content, a wonderful scent and the skin is wonderfully crunchy.     Take a bite into the special Yamanashi Grape My Heart Tart and you will be filled with a sophisticated fruity flavour. The adorable heart-shaped grapes are layered perfectly on top of a bed of white wine custard. You just have to try this delicious and beautiful tart!

Kusatsu Onsen is a hot spring resort in Gunma Prefecture that is one of Japan's three principle hot spring locations. The site opened its new Japanese custard dessert (known as 'purin') shop, Kusatsu Onsen Pudding, on August 24, which serves the most incredibly smooth purin you have ever tried, each inspired by the hot springs.   Once you've stepped out of the nice warm hot springs of Kusatsu Onsen you can refresh yourself with a delicious purin packed full of love from the shop which has created a flavour you can only try by travelling to Gunma and going there. Each and every dessert is made fresh in the shop to further elevate its exclusivity as a local speciality.   Kusatsu Onsen Pudding also makes sure to use local and regional ingredients where it can to help support manufacturers and producers. Their purin is also made with a special type of milk sourced from in Gunma known as Haruna milk. The milk is made as delicious as can be by ensuring cows are raised on a healthy natural diet of grass on green pastures in Gunma bathed in plenty of sunlight.

Yuhata Purin

The Yuhata purin is inspired by the hot spring areas where mineral deposits are harvested, its jelly taking on a gorgeous emerald green colour. It's lemon and lime flavoured, the perfect flavour to enjoy when stepping out of the hot water, and one which goes surprisingly well with purin.

Yumomi Purin

The staple purin of the store, this purin is based on yumomi, a method used for cooling the hot water with paddles from which cold water gushes forth. This velvety delight is made with lots of fresh cream and high-quality vanilla beans from Madagascar for added punch.

Furomage

A pun on the word fromage, with furo in Japanese meaning "bath," the Furomage purin uses a rich cream cheese base which has a seriously smooth texture. It's topped off with strawberry jelly for the perfect combination, packing a perfect balance between sweet and sour.

Yuhata Soft (Milk/Yuhata/Mixed)

Choose from the Yuhata soft serve ice cream which is ramune flavoured and inspired by the flowing water of the hot springs or the Haruna milk-mixed vanilla flavoured Milk soft serve. If you can't pick, then choose mixed for a bit of both. A satisfyingly refreshing pick for when you're done in the hot springs. The shop has plans to sell purin made using bamboo steamers in the near future, so you're pudding can be steamed like yourself after a dip in the water! The wooden spoons used to eat the desserts are also made in the image of the paddles used in yumomi too.

Two of Tokyo Station's shopping areas, GRANSTA and GRANSTA MARUNOUCHI―which are accessible inside the ticket gates and outside the ticket gates respectively―are set to hold the GRANSTA Christmas Fair from November 5 to December 25.  

GRANSTA x Tokyo Staion Hotel

Noel - ¥6,200 (Tax Included) @ Tokyo Station Hotel (*10 servings per day)

This pine tree stump chestnut cake was originally sold to support the reconstruction work of the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building which was held until 2012. Topping the chestnut sweet potato base is a mix of chestnut mousse and coffee cream. This is topped with two types of chestnut pastes in a spiral shape to create the tree rings.

Bûche Chocolat Vanille - ¥5,500 (Tax Included) @ Tokyo Station Hotel (*10 servings per day)

The Bûche Chocolat Vanille is an exquisite yule log made with melt-in-the-mouth chocolate mousse and vanilla cream inside which hides sweet and sour, kirsch-soaked cherries and sauteed pears. The top of the log is temptingly lined with even more cherries to give it both that rich look and even richer taste.    

Station Building Fruit Cake - ¥4,320 (Tax Included) @ Colombin (*only 100 available)

Exclusive to GRANSTA comes this special Christmas fruit cake based on the station building. It would make great gift to bring to the Christmas party.

Cupola de Tokyo - ¥3,780 (Tax Included) @ Caffarel (*only 50 available / *design still a WIP so may differ from the photo)

This colourful Christmas cake draws inspiration from the gorgeous interior designs of the north and south domes of the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building.  

Suica Penguin Cakes

Suica Penguin Cake - ¥5,400 (Tax Included) @ Dalloyau (*only 100 available)

The main Suica Penguin cake is a combination of chocolate mousse and a cream made from tonka beans. This cute cake is sure to bring joy to any child this Christmas♡

Suica Penguin Chocolate Raspberry - ¥490 (Tax Included) @ Fairycake Fair (*30 servings per day)

There are lots more cakes to look forward to, including ones in very limited quantities. If you're in Japan this Christmas season, be sure to pay a visit to GRANSTA and GRANSTA MARUNOUCHI in Tokyo Station.   ©Chiharu Sakazaki / JR East / DENTSU Suica by JR East Suica