For most people in Japan today, there are two types of food associated with Christmas. One of them is chicken, which usually means KFC, an invented tradition that began in the 1970s. The other one is Christmas cake.

The usual go-to is the strawberry shortcake. They typically cost a few thousand yen ($10 to $30), a bit more if feeding a large family.

However, like many consumer goods around the world, there's always an upscale market. When it comes to Christmas cakes, fancy Yule logs have become more popular in recent years, with prices sometimes exceeding 5,000 JPY (36 USD at today's rate) for versions made by reputed pastry chefs.

And then we get to the luxury market...

A jewel box for Christmas

This year, the annual Christmas Cake Collection at Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo, has one standout creation that is definitely not for the budget shopper.

The flagship cake, made by Chef Patissier 穐山敏信 Toshinobu Akiyama and called Écrin de Bonheur, French for "jewel box of joy," will set you back 150,000 JPY (nearly 1,100 USD at today's rates).

If you purchase this unique Christmas cake and open the shipping box, you'll be greeted by an elaborate dusty blue chest with cream-colored decorative pieces. It's completely edible, made entirely of chocolate!

Inside, you'll find two main elements divided into two tiers. The upper tier is where you'll find the "jewels": nine exquisite "petit gâteaux" pastries arranged like jewelry in a jewelry box:

The lower tier is a cake decorated with a gorgeous wreath featuring flavors such as cinnamon and star anise. The cake consists of two layers of mousse, a chestnut mousse with vanilla and orange cream accents, and a La France pear and caramel mousse with a hint of spice, for a delightful combination.

*On request, hotel staff can arrange delivery to addresses within the 23 wards of Tokyo.

Only five will be available to order when reservations begin on September 1st, 2022.

Aside from their flagship cake, Keio Plaza Hotel's Christmas Cake Collection 2022 has a range of cakes and pastries for all budgets. If you're interested, take a look on their website here.

Reservations will be accepted from September 1st to December 18th, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM for deliveries from December 17th to 25th (Sun.) from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Pick up is on the second floor Food Boutique . Location: 2F / Food Boutique .