Portuguese-style pound cake that's popular in Nagasaki.

Aya's grandma's favorite dessert. It's just mochi filled with あんこ (red-bean paste). 

Aya's dad's favorite dessert. We always have to get two packs--one for him and one to split between my sister and me. 

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The balls are made with omochi (pounded rice cake) which are then glazed with sweet soy sauce.  

Kakigori is a popular summer treat in Japan. It's made out of shaved ice and you'll usually see a lot of shops selling it. 

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Aya's favorite kind is ujikintoki which is shaved ice with matcha (green tea) syrup and azuki (red bean paste), like the one in the upper right-hand photo.  Sometimes it comes with condensed milk and omochi which is really good. 

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* 氷 means "ice" and is pronounced  『こうり』instead of 『こ”うり』 when written by itself. 

Purin is a custard pudding with caramal. It's basically Japanese flan. 

Aya's mom's favorite cookie. It's popular in Kyoto and is made with matcha, vanilla, and/or chocolate flavoring. It's basically like a fancy, better-tasting oreo.

The most popular dessert in Kyoto omiyage (souvenir) shops. It's made with steamed rice dough that turns into a soft, chewy texture. Then, it's filled with あんこ (red-bean paste).

You can get different flavors but the main ingredient that makes yatsuhashi stand out is that it calls for nikki (a more expensive type of cinnamon only grown in East Asia and South East Asia).  

Dried persimmons are a common dessert in Japan. Some people might find it too sweet though.

If you like kakigori, I highly recommend looking for the kakigori popsicle that's sold in some 7-Elevens. This thing is the reason why I survived my summer course. 

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I shared a box with some classmates and they all liked it as well.

Aya's mom's favorite dessert. It comes with agar (jelly) cubes,

あんこ(red-bean paste), fruit, mochi, and sometimes ice cream.

A pigeon-shaped cookie that is a Kamakura specialty. You'll often see it near the Kamakura train station if you're visiting the

鎌倉大仏 (Kamamakura Daibutsu).

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It tastes best when you dip it in milk. This is essentially Aya's childhood.

So good.

Croissant taiyaki is harder to come by but if you see it in Tokyo you need to try it! It's crispy with a little bit of sugar on top and the inside is filled with azuki (red bean paste). 

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It's much better than the regular taiyaki that you see everywhere. 

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Taiyaki is supposed to resemble a popular red sea bream fish.