Anyone who has had the privilege of unwrapping a Tokyo Banana, or grabbing a gem-like matcha mochi from a sidewalk vendor in Ginza, knows that Japan has a special relationship with confectionaries. Even beyond the sweets, just the care that goes into shaping and packaging these treats makes them treasures unto themselves.
The cheesecake itself is meant to mirror the long winters of Hokkaido, as powdered sugar blankets the top like freshly fallen snow. It’s also a play on the area’s tradition of preserving food throughout winter. Fruits and vegetables buried in the snow are thought to become sweeter over time. In this case, that sweetness transcends the limits of produce to become the cake itself.
