Ginza Akebono Sakura Mochi: The first time I had sakura mochi, pink mochi wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf, it was from Fugetsu-Do in Los Angeles, I was surprised by the sweet and savory combination. The leaf is typically pickled and has a concentrated salty flavor that can catch you off guard if you're used to the mild and sweet anko-filled dessert. This version of sakura mochi was purchased from the Ginza sweets shop Ginza Akebono, where I had previously tried their strawberry-covered mochi. The chewiness of the mochi was very satisfying and the sweetness of the red bean paste helped offset the saltiness of the leaf around it. It was also topped with a small cherry blossom. I'd say it was more memorable than tasty though I did enjoy it overall. (Apologies for the image quality - this photo was taken using night mode in a very dark Hibaya Park.) 3.5/5.0

recommended japanese ginza tokyo ginzaakebono sakura mochi 3.5