We’re still in the depths of winter in Japan, but many are looking forward to the warmer climate and the bursts of pink blossoms that spring will deliver.

There’s plenty of ways to celebrate the season, including cherry blossom viewing picnics and walks, and lovers of sakura will also be treated to a deluge of products inspired by this floral phenomenon. From doughnuts to shoes, literally anything can be made cherry blossom themed, including curry, a particularly interesting addition to the sakura-flavour offerings which we also saw last year.

This unexpected item is a startlingly pink vegetable curry with a medium spice level, and the colour was achieved by starting with a white curry base made from coconut milk and butter. The sakura flavour comes from real petals included in the curry roux.

Although curry isn’t originally from Japan, they really took the dish and made it their own. Japanese curry is characterised by its mild and sweet taste, as opposed to spiciness, as well as its thick consistency. It’s known as a homely and filling comfort food with chunky vegetables and plenty of rice.

A limited amount of this blossom-flavoured concoction can be found on Rakuten’s online shop.