The luxury hotel Grand Hyatt Tokyo will offer Easter sweets and baked goods at the on-site Fiorentina Pastry Boutique from April 1 until Easter, April 17, to celebrate the arrival of spring.   Easter Egg Macaroon   Easter Cookies with Icing   Easter Lollipop   Easter Bunny BriocheThis year, in addition to the new Easter Bunny and Easter egg macaroons, cookies with icing, lollipop chocolates, brioche in the shape of the Easter Bunny, and other sweets and bakery items will be available. Don’t miss it!

Japan-based chocolate specialty store Minimal is now offering a limited-edition set of gateau chocolates with fresh strawberries from Mei Strawberries in Kagawa Prefecture. These are available for preorder and are perfect for Valentine’s Day!   These sweets were a huge hit last year, selling out immediately. The rare variety of strawberries used is only found in 1 percent of Japanese strawberry farms, and these are blended with milk cream and specialty chocolate.    The strawberry jam found on the top of each chocolate piece is made from these rare Nyohou strawberries.  Originally a small-grained variety, the Nyohou varietals send from Mei Strawberries in Kagawa Prefecture are larger with a beautiful dark-red color. Fragrant, juicy, and sweet, they also have a slight acidity that provide a more complex flavor.    To maximize the natural strawberry flavor, the chocolate is made from Madagascar cocoa beans with a more berry-like flavor. Only slightly roasted, the graininess is intact, leaving a more powerful and rich flavor. A milky sweet cream has also been added to the center to provide a better balance.This is the second year that the company has worked with these strawberries from Mei, and after making a number of prototypes, Minimal has found the best possible way to express these unique flavors in harmony.   

From July 29 to August 11, over 320,000 people from around Japan voted for their favorite lesser-known local souvenir. Sponsored by Japanese e-commerce site Mercari, the contest highlighted 47 unique goods from around the country, one for each prefecture. The winners have been announced, and the White Rabbit of Inaba from Tottori Prefecture has won first place, receiving more than 60,000 votes.   A music video-style web commercial featuring the winning product is now being produced to support the shop and particular region of Tottori. The music will be performed by electro-pop group Frasco. In Japan, the rabbit is known for bringing good fortune, and has been a beloved symbol since ancient times.  The white rabbit in particular, featured in the local Izumo myth ‘The White Rabbit of Inaba,’ plays a major role in connecting the characters Onamuchi-no-kami and Princess Yakami. In 1968, the famous confectionery ‘White Rabbit of Inaba’ was created in the hopes of bringing good luck to those visiting the area.   Much like how an indie music group has a small group of hardcore fans but may not be well-known outside of small circles, these indie souvenirs are popular with locals, but may not be known to those outside the community. On the official website, fans can see their favorite treats displayed on what looks like album covers as an homage to this fitting comparison.   On social media, there was incredible support for the project from all kinds of people: those who made the souvenirs in the first place, those who love their local area, and those who were seeing these treats for the first time and dying to try them.   Which of the 47 souvenirs would you be most happy to receive?  

MUUN SEOUL is a cafe located along Tonchan-dori Street in Harajuku that serves Instagram-worthy South Korean food.

Photo by Nagisa Kobayashi @popo_318

Photo by Nagisa Kobayashi @popo_318

The cafe sells "fatcarons," a South Korean-style macaron which have proven very popular with young women in Japan.

Photo by Taeco @taecostagram

Fatcarons are larger than the standard macaron. They are topped with things like strawberries, given marble textures, and more to give them a cute appearance. MOON SEOUL serves many different varieties, all of which are standout compared to normal macarons.

Photo by Sara @__sar310

But the fatcaron experience at MOON SEOUL isn't complete without ordering the drink above. It's strawberry milk flavoured, but the milk is whipped until it's fluffy, giving it a taste like no other strawberry milk you've tried. It also has sliced strawberries inside and on top, so if you love strawberries, you'll love this.

Photo by Yuina @popochan726

You can order your fatcarons for takeout too in a clear takeaway box so you can go have a dessert picnic with your friends, and get a great photo of them all together too.

Mister Donut Japan is now serving up a sweet selection of cherry blossom themed doughnuts; this includes 3 flavours of their “Sakura Mochi Doughnuts” which have a chewy texture and cherry blossom inspired shape, 3 flavours of the “Sakura French” doughnuts which take their classic cruller doughnuts and sprinkle them with cherry blossom flavoured powder, and a cherry blossom flavour of their popular bite-sized pop doughnuts.   Sakura Mochi Doughnuts The “Sakura Mochi Doughnuts” were a hit with sweet tooth customers in spring last year, and have made a return in 2020 even more delicious and chewy than before. With a flavour and texture that’s just like eating cherry blossom mochi, these doughnuts come in three flavours: the pink coloured and kawaii “Sakura,” the soybean sugar-coated “Kinako,” and the “Azuki” which is filled with coarse sweet red bean paste and coated in white chocolate.   Sakura French These doughnuts use Mister Donut’s classic French crullers and turn them into seasonal springtime sakura delights, like the “Sakura” which is glazed with a pink cherry blossom mochi flavour, and the “Sakura Jelly & Whipped Cream” which speaks deliciously for itself.   Sakura Pop Doughnut A selection of Mister Donut’s popular doughnuts, like Old Fashioned and Chocolate, have been taken and topped with cherry blossom, strawberry, and other flavourings. Taste the sweetness of spring this season in Japan with one of these tasty doughnuts.

Here at MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON, we have never failed to provide you with the essentials: updates on the best bubble teas around Kyoto. However, today we have a special sweet treat for you. After consulting expert Instagrammer kyoto cafe life tiara, we have compiled a list of Kyoto's top purin that will fill you with satisfaction and as well as nostalgia. Purin is a type of Japanese custard pudding loved by the Japanese for generations. When it comes to searching for the best desserts in the Kansai region, kyoto cafe life tiara leaves no stone unturned .    Cafe Yamamoto, Higashiyama

Pudding (Set): ¥750

The bitter and fragrant caramel sauce of this purin is to die for. This purin has a rich eggy flavour and is stiffer than a traditional purin. Enjoy your purin served in a silver plate which will fill you with the nostalgia of the retro Showa Era.