10 Japanese Desserts You Must Try (Traditional Sweets Guide)

Since moving to Japan, I made it a mission to try as many traditional sweets as possible.

Japanese desserts are very different from Western ones —
they’re often:

• Less sweet
• More delicate
• Focused on natural ingredients

Here are 10 Japanese desserts you must try if you ever visit Japan.

1. Anmitsu (餡蜜)

A refreshing dessert dating back to the Meiji period.

Made with:

• Agar jelly (plant-based, from seaweed)
• Sweet red bean paste (anko)
• Fruits like peach and pineapple

Often served with syrup (I usually skip it — it can get very sweet).

2. Dango (団子)

A simple but iconic sweet made from rice flour.

• Often served on skewers
• Can be grilled (yaki dango)
• Topped with sauce, sesame, or anko

Can be sweet or savoury depending on the region.

3. Mizu Yokan (水ようかん)

A light, jelly-like dessert perfect for summer.

Made with:

• Agar
• Azuki beans
• Sugar

Simple, refreshing, and vegan-friendly.

4. Manju (饅頭)

A soft steamed cake filled with sweet paste.

• Usually filled with red bean paste
• Sometimes sweet potato (especially in Okinawa)

Perfect with green tea.

5. Sakuramochi (桜餅)

A seasonal favourite.

• Pink mochi
• Filled with anko
• Wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf

Slightly salty + sweet combination.

6. Imagawayaki (今川焼き)

A warm, pancake-style dessert.

Common fillings:

• Custard
• Red bean paste
• Sometimes savoury options

My pick: vanilla custard.

7. Dorayaki (ドラ焼き)

Two pancake-like cakes filled with sweet paste.

Popularised by Doraemon.

A classic — and one of my first favourites when I arrived in Japan.

8. Wagashi (和菓子)

Traditional Japanese sweets known for their beauty.

• Often shaped like flowers or nature
• Made from plant-based ingredients

Almost too pretty to eat.

9. Daifuku (大福)

Soft, chewy mochi with filling inside.

• Usually red bean paste
• Sometimes fruit or custard

The texture is what makes this special.

10. Matcha flavored ice cream

One of the most popular Japanese desserts.

• Creamy
• Slightly bitter
• Not overly sweet

Perfect balance of flavour.

Final Thoughts

Japanese desserts are all about balance and subtlety.

They may feel unusual at first — especially with ingredients like red bean paste —
but once you get used to them, they’re incredibly satisfying.

If you visit Japan, make sure you try a few of these.

For recipes and how to make these sweets I recommend going over to Just One Cookbook, they have a great selection of how to cook Japanese cuisine.

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