Shiogama Sakura Candy

    Some sakura goodies are only available for short periods of late winter or early spring, but these lovely little treats are actually available year-round at Shiogama's local good shop near HonShiogama Station. The packaging is covered in soft depictions of cherry blossoms and even utilizes the ancient kanji for Shiogama which happens to be the same kanji used in the name of the variety of cherry blossom that is named for the area, the Shiogamazakura, which I have written about before.

    The cherry blossom pictures don't stop at the packaging, either. That same sakura motif is visible on the candies themselves which are otherwise a soft, translucent pinkish hue. The petals of the flower on the candies transition from white near the yellow center to pink toward the outside and are as lovely to look at as they are to eat. They almost look more like decorative Chopstick holders than actual food, but they highly enjoyable and make good gifts to send to friends and relatives elsewhere in the world when shipping to other parts of the world is more affordable.

Laid out in their package, the delicate candies almost do not look like food.

The lovely pinkish outer bit is translucent after all, hinting at the delicate flavor inside.

    The taste of these lovely little candies it's something I've enjoyed for years now. They're lightly sweet but not overly so and they're honestly not trying to be anything more than little spot of deliciousness. The flavor is almost a little bit delicate, in a way that so few American candies can replicate. If you happen to be in Miyagi and in the mood for these sweets, you know where to get them. If you aren't in the area, you can always order them online at this website, along with a bunch of other Shiogama related goods including Shiogamazakura broches and furoshiki cloths.

The inside fold of the packaging even has a short description in Japanese if you need some extra reading practice for the day.

    I was surprised to find that just inside the flap of the packaging, a whole paragraph of text waits to bombard you with more Japanese or help you with a little extra reading practice, depending on your perspective. From what I could gather, it mentions Dragon Cherry Blossoms and that the double-blossoming Shiogama-zakura should bloom in May. It suggests these candies make a good reward for yourself or present for your loved ones.

    I actually agree with the package. I love these things and have received nothing but positive responses from those who I sent them to. At a price of 350 yen per package, they also won't break the bank.