It’s summer time in several parts of the globe and many of us are already obsessing over cherry blossoms… even though we don’t exactly have them here in the Philippines.
Cherry blossoms, also known as “sakura” in Japanese, are pink flowers that usually bloom around April or May. They are found in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere which include countries like Japan, China, Nepal, and Korea.
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It’s become iconic thanks to its appearance in popular Asian dramas, movies, and the animés you probably watched as a kid. Many have also shown just how beautiful it is in Instagram photos.
This year, cherry blossoms seem to be becoming big with its presence in food items and merch. One popular example is McDonald’s Strawberry Sakura Float, which is part of their Flavors of Japan set.
Starbucks Philippines has also teased their Sakura Collection on Instagram. Expect pink bloom tumblers and cards, and maybe a drink and/or dessert inspired by it.
You may be thinking: Are cherry blossoms really edible? Yes, curious person, they are. In Japan, they are pickled in salt and ume vinegar and used in Japanese desserts, or drunk as tea at weddings when hot water is poured over it. The leaves can also be eaten and it’s used to make sakuramochi (rice cake).
If you want to try other cherry blossom-flavored desserts, Kitkat and Royce have chocolates that you might like.
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We expect other restaurants and cafés to follow suit. But you can also get the full sakura experience by going to any of the countries I mentioned above this summer.
According to Japan Guide, the blossoms are already open this year in several cities, including Tokyo. You can also check out tourist destinations like Mt. Fuji, Himeji Castle, and Mt. Yoshino to see them in full bloom.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
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