Japanese desserts have a unique Je ne sais quoi about them.
They tend to have subtle, sophisticated flavor profiles with flavors like matcha, anko, sesame, and sakura as oppose to chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. They also tend to be texturally exciting, with unique combinations of spongy, chewy, creamy, crunchy, and bouncy. Another thing I find unique about Japanese desserts is that they aren’t too sweet. Meaning you can actually taste the flavors and won’t be left spiraling into a sugar blues.
While there’s no shortage of aesthetic cafes to try (get the scoop on some Otaru desserts HERE), there is a robust Japanese street sweets scene with loads of delicious treats that are perfect for fueling long days of exploring.
Let’s dive into 3 Japanese street sweets to add to your foodie bucket list!
1. Obanyaki
Obanyaki is wheel-shaped pancake that’s traditionally stuffed with a red bean paste (anko) or custard cream. It’s warm, comforting, not to sweet, and easy to eat on the go.
It starts with a simple pancake batter made with flour, egg, honey, milk, and water. The batter is put into a hot, cast iron obanyaki pan which creates a crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside texture. A filling is added into one side as it cooks low and slow on the griddle. Then, the two half are stacked together to make the perfect little pancake sandwich.
It’s a Japanese street sweet that won’t set you back more than a couple bucks, and wow is it delicious! (Learn about the history HERE!)
2. Melon pan
Melon pan is a delectable Japanese street sweet that consists of a fluffy, soft, sweet roll topped with a layer of crunchy cookie-like dough. Despite the name, melon pan has no melon flavor. Rather, it gets the name due to the shape that resembles a melon. The seemingly simple treat is labor intensive to make. A dough of two types of flour, sugar, yeast, eggs, and milk is meticulously kneaded then stuffed with butter before being topped with a biscuit dough.
You don’t have to look to far to find melonpan in Japan. For a top-tier experience, look for street stalls that warm up the buns so that they are warm and crispy. But if you can’t find a stall, don’t fret. Convenience stores will all have melonpan on offer.
Pro Tip: Be sure to try melon pan stuffed with ice cream! The combo of the warm, crunchy melon pan with cold, silky ice cream is a delight for the tastebuds.
3. Daifuku
Daifuku is simply filled mochi, and it is perhaps the most popular Japanese street sweet. “Filled mochi” is a broad definition, and the flavor combinations are endless. However, there are some classic types that need to be on your foodie bucket first.
Daifuku mochi is the OG daifku. It consists of mochi filled with anko—the same red bean paste that is used in obanyaki. Another popular red bean-centric option is mame Daifuku, which consists of mochi filled with red beans or soybean. One of the most popular types of Daifuku is Ichigo Daifuku, aka strawberry mochi. It consists of mochi wrapped around a whole strawberry with a layer of sweet red bean paste. The combination of chewy mochi with sweet, juicy strawberry is pure bliss.
