Move over Starbucks – there’s another coffeehouse in Tokyo adding a dazzling range of cherry blossom treats to their menu.
It’s almost time for Japan’s iconic sakura trees to start blossoming around the country, which means shops, cafes and restaurants everywhere are heralding the hanami flower-viewing season with ranges of pink-hued goods and treats for customers to enjoy.
While Starbucks leads the way every year with their hugely popular sakura drinkware range and their annual cherry-blossom-flavoured Frappuccino releases, this year Tully’s Coffee is also vying for our attention with a new collection of sakura treats and goods that are so exclusive they’re only being made available in the 23 wards of Tokyo.
▼ The range includes a Sakura Marble Mug (1,600 yen [US$13.94]), a floral Mini Teddy (580 yen) and two tumblers that retail for 1,540 yen each.
There’s also a limited-edition “Tully’s Oedo Sakura Matsuri” drink card featuring the same design that appears on the tumblers, which is inspired by the stylings of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), when Tokyo was known as “Edo”.
In addition to their cherry blossom goods, the coffeehouse is also adding a Sakura Mille Crepe (480 yen) to their menu. Each slice contains delicate layers and a topping of cherry-scented whipped cream, finished off with a cute pink blossom made from sakura bean paste.
There’s also a Sakura Strawberry Waffle Sandwich (600 yen), which combines a soft, fluffy waffle with a creamy cheese mousse and a sweetly tart sauce. Available to take away, this treat is said to have a mild cherry blossom fragrance, making it an ideal addition to hanami flower-viewing picnics.
Rounding off the limited-edition menu are two delicious-looking drinks. The hot Sakura Tea Cappuccino (530 yen) combines royal milk tea with a frothy topping and a rich sakura-flavoured sauce. The pink chocolate shavings are a beautiful finishing touch, adding the look of fallen petals to the beverage.
The Sakura Matcha Latte (580 yen) is available as a hot or cold beverage, and comes filled with the rich flavour of matcha powdered green tea, sourced from the premier tea-growing region of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture. The beautiful green drink is topped off with whipped cream and sakura sauce, creating a beautiful combination of sweet and tart flavours.
Available for a limited time from 22 March, these new sakura offerings are sure to be incredibly popular so be sure to stop by a Tully’s Coffee store in the 23 wards of Tokyo before these treats disappear for good. We’re hoping Tully’s will have more of these sakura treats for us again next year so we can enjoy them on a yearly basis, just like the cherry blossoms themselves!
Source, images: PR Times