Melon-pan, the melon-shaped (and sometimes even melon-flavoured) sweet bun, has managed to maintain its popularity in the face of intense competition from newer and trendier dessert creations. Fans of this humble delicacy can now sample the best of the best in one place, as the nation's most famed pan-makers get together in Otsuka for this event. Started by an intrepid university student, the festival will donate all of its proceeds to a fund working to improve medical conditions in Congo.
