Mochi ice cream has become a favourite among frozen treat-loving Japanophiles everywhere, but the combination of the traditional Japanese sweet mochi and ice cream is actually an American invention. Rather than the flavours usually associated with mochi in Japan such as green tea and red bean paste, the ones found in American supermarkets will usually come in more ‘Westernised’ flavours such as chocolate or strawberry.

But after the creation of this delectable combination, Japan played a blinder of a reverse card by taking the idea and Japan-ising it once more, adding the country’s favourite spring flavour to the mix.

You can get almost any type of food in a cherry blossom flavour or theme during the spring season, and sakura mochi ice cream is no exception.

This version which has recently gone on sale from Imuraya is a whole mochi ice cream dessert which can conveniently be enjoyed at an outing such as a cherry blossom picnic.

The four ingredient treat has a dollop of sakura flavoured sauce in the middle, encircled by pink mochi balls sitting on a layer of sakura petal laced red bean paste covering the sakura ice cream.

Since it can be found in convenience stores and supermarkets, this affordable dessert can be picked up easily for just 140 yen. But like the cherry blossoms themselves, it can only be enjoyed for a short time, since it will only be available until the middle of April.