Japan's Cherry Blossom Season

Ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.

A Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.

Vinegared rice combined with various ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, and occasionally tropical fruits. Sushi is one of Japan's most iconic dishes and comes in many forms including nigiri, maki, and temaki.

Thin noodles made from buckwheat flour, either served chilled with a dipping sauce or in hot broth as a noodle soup. Soba has been a staple of Japanese cuisine for thousands of years.