As the weather cools down, Tokyo is offering a handful of seasonal desserts to get you in the mood for autumn. The Japanese is an expert in taking the best seasonal ingredients and transforming them into delicious treats, and this time of the year, you'll find lots of pastries and sweets featuring chestnut, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Wondering where to start? Try out these seasonal items.
Mont Blanc parfait
A classic dessert that's often associated with autumn – though you can now find it year-round – this French confection has been transformed into a Japanese classic known for its strings of chestnut puree and rich taste. For a twist on the classic, order the Mont Blanc parfait made using premium, locally-sourced chestnuts at Mont Blanc Style, located close to Yoyogi Park.
Pumpkin brownie
Pumpkins aren’t only for carving out Halloween lanterns. In fact, you’ll find many pâtisseries around Tokyo using this orange beauty in a lot of their baked goods. Satisfy both your pumpkin and chocolate cravings at K’s&Brownie, where you’ll find chunks of pumpkin tucked into their signature decadent chocolate brownie.
Sweet potato bun
Sweet potatoes are also a popular autumn hit, and you can usually get your fix at the local konbini – the warm sweet potato buns can be found at the cashier counter along with other nikuman. It’s the perfect way curb your sweet spud cravings. During this season, you might even come across a sweet potato truck where you can bite into a roasted sweet potato fresh off the charcoal barbecue.
Persimmon sorbet
It's never too cold for ice cream, especially when it comes to this refreshingly sweet fruit – persimmon. At Japanese Ice Ouca, you'll find a range of seasonal flavours including pumpkin and chestnut, but it's the icy persimmon that really hits the spot. We love that it's neither too heavy or sweet, just perfect to sweeten up our day.
Sweet potato cocktail
For those who prefer to drink their desserts, this decadent purple sweet potato cocktail from Maduro at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo should do the trick. Featuring Japanese sweet potato ice cream and espuma made from 'Mao' sweet potato shochu, it's the most autumnal cocktail out there.
Looking for more Japanese desserts, we have the list right here.