Chomeiji Sakuramochi

Sakuramochi is a popular Japanese sweet that differs greatly in the east and the west – that is, Tokyo and Osaka. While the latter type is similar to ohagi and consists of red bean paste-filled glutinous rice wrapped in cherry blossom leaves, the Tokyo type is more like a crêpe rather than traditional mochi. Both, however, are named after Buddhist temples: Chōmeiji and Dōmyōji, respectively.

Chōmeiji is a historic temple located in Mukōjima, a neighborhood just off the busy tourist spots of downtown Tokyo; nearby are the towering Tokyo Skytree, the ever-popular Asakusa district, and Sumida Park. The area has been known for its cherry blossom trees since the 1650s.

The inventor of Chōmeiji-style sakuramochi, Yamamoto Shinroku, was working at the temple as a custodian in 1717, when he came up with an ingenious way to deal with the copious foliage that had fallen. He simply salted the leaves, wrapped red bean paste-filled crêpes in them, and sold them to the temple-goers. It was a huge hit, sold by the thousand.

Yamamoto's "sakuramochi" stand soon grew into a teahouse, officially named Yamamotoya but commonly referred to as Chōmeiji. It remains in business to this day and has since overshadowed the popularity of the eponymous temple.