7 Japan Food Specialties You Can’t Miss During Spring

If you're seeing this right now, chances are, you're planning to go to Japan this spring, aren't ya? We know you've been scouring the internet to find the best Japan food to try for your upcoming trip, so look no further! These spring foods in Japan deserve to be on your top must-try list simply because you won't catch these ingredients any fresher than they are during this season.

So listen up and take down notes!

While you're most likely here to see the cherry blossoms, there's a bunch of Japan food or Japanese dishes that are best eaten during spring because of their freshness and certain ingredients being in season. It ranges from savoury traditional Japanese food like Takenoko, a specialty in Kyoto, to Japanese confectioneries and desserts like Sakuramochi (yup, no space in between!).

Keep scrolling to get into the nitty-gritty of these spring seasonal foods that you can't miss out on.

Probably one of the most popular snacks or desserts in Japan is the Ichigo Daifuku. This treat has taken Tiktok by storm! It's essentially a mochi with sweet red bean paste stuffed with a fresh, juicy strawberry.

If you'll be staying in Tokyo a strawberry daifuku stall can easily be found in Tsukiji Market near the Ginza shopping strip. You won't be running out of traditional Japanese sweets this spring, that's for sure!

In general, strawberries peak during the Japan spring season. So, if you're in Osaka, this is the best time to book a fun strawberry-picking activity! However, if you want to witness the cherry blossoms at Kawazu Sakura Matsuri and strawberry picking in one day, try this tour instead.

Takenoko is a popular Japanese dish that a lot of Japanese restaurants will have on the menu from March to May. In English, it means "bamboo shoot." It's one of the traditional Japanese foods that's best eaten during the spring because this is when it's in its freshest state.

You'll also notice that a lot of supermarkets will stock up on this vegetable. This is probably because Japanese people love to prepare it in so many different ways. You can find it either deep-fried in tempura batter, grilled, mixed in fried rice, or simply boiled and lightly seasoned with soy sauce. Yum!

Of course, it won't be spring season in Japan without cherry blossom-themed Japan food and tea. Sakura mochi comes in the colour pink, just like the cherry blossoms, with red bean paste filling and wrapped in the leaves of the cherry tree. It's one of the specialties in Japan traditions, food, and culture!

Now, we all know the Japanese take their tea seriously. A Japanese tea ceremony is one of the popular Japanese traditional activities we offer for you to learn more about the rich history behind green tea.

You should defo have a cuppa of this Sakura cherry tea. It's made with green Sencha tea, Sakura cherries and flowers, and rose petals. It's fresh, floral, and refreshing! The Japanese love pairing their teas with a bikkie—and there is a tonne of these Hokkaido snacks to choose from.

When you talk about Japanese cuisine or traditional Japanese food, seafood, especially raw fish, is what comes to mind. You may be familiar with the bonito fish in its flakes form that's usually used as toppings for Takoyaki. However, this particular fish we're going to be talking about is also a fave among the locals in its true, raw fish state. It's called Hatsugatsuo!

It originated from the Kochi prefecture and directly translates to "the first bonito of the year," which is typically around March until May. The fish is said to be the most active during the spring, so it tastes a lot fresher! Make it an even more delicious dish with a side of soy sauce.

Clams are in season during spring, and they're a widely used ingredient in Japanese traditional food to celebrate Hinamatsuri, the Japanese Doll Festival.

Restaurants prepare the clams in clear or miso soup as a side to steak or sashimi. So, have a crack at this comforting grub that's full of nutrients like vitamin B, iron, protein, and more. Spring specialties in Japan that are both healthy and delicious? Count us in!

Speaking of seasonal food and steak, this Japanese cuisine restaurant in Dotonbori likes to switch up its menu based on the season. Kobe beef set for spring, eels during the summer, matsutake mushrooms for fall, and pufferfish and crab in winter.

Japanese plum trees are usually the first ones to blossom during spring in Japan (KW variation for spring Japan). The most common way it's consumed is in its pickled form, umeboshi, which tastes salty, sour, and tangy. It's traditionally eaten inside a rice ball or on the side with rice, together with other viands like fish or meat.

Another way to enjoy this delicacy is by drinking plum wine called umeshu, but we've seen newer non-conventional ways to enjoy it, too, like plum-flavoured chips!

These are itsy bitsy Japanese sand eels originating from Kansai. It's one of those more adventurous traditional foods in Japan that is definitely worth trying! Many locals consider this their Japanese comfort food.

The name means "the nails that hit the spot" because, when cooked, Ikanago looks like a cluster of bent nails. Interesting! Ikanago—marinated in soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and mirin that are all caramelised until sticky until it simmers to a slightly salty but sweetened soy sauce—is frequently eaten on top of a bowl of steaming white rice or consumed as a snack.

Don't miss out on this upcoming spring season, as it's considered by many as the best time to go to Japan. You'll get choc a bloc from all the delicious Japanese food you spot left and right!

Even if you can't catch a flight here during the spring, the Japanese cuisine scene is still bangin'! Here are some other things you should defo experience.

Italians, this is the part where you look away! Though one of the traditional Japanese dishes, one highly recommended Japanese restaurant if you want to try udon noodles with a twist is Shin Udon. Order their Japanese equivalent of Carbonara (Carbonara Udon) while you're there!

Taking a short side trip to Kyoto? Add this Arashiyama and Sagano walking food tour to try traditional Japanese food after admiring historical spots. Remember to bookmark this article as a guide for must-eat Japanese food for your next travels!