Sakura Japan Starbucks Drinks: A Look Through the Years
Karina Ikedo
Sakura Japan Starbucks drinks are arguably the most anticipated of all the sakura (cherry blossom) themed goods and consumables each year. Every year, Starbucks shows creativity by introducing us to brand-new, unique flavors that go well with the central cherry blossom theme.
Starbucks celebrates the beauty of cherry blossoms in spring each year in Japan. Keep reading as we will take you through the best Starbucks Japan sakura drinks from 2018 to 2023!
Starbucks Sakura Japan Drinks in 2018
The Strawberry Pink Mochi Frappuccino was the first sakura-themed beverage released in 2018. It uses domyoji-ko (a dried powder made from sticky steamed rice), forming a jelly. The drink also has sticky rice pieces and strawberry chocolate chips. As a result, it was one of the best Starbucks Japan Frappucino flavors ever!
The Sakura Strawberry Pink Milk Latte is next in the lineup and combines the luscious strawberry flavors with the sweet-and-sour flavor of cherry blossoms. Not to mention, finely chopped bits of sakura leaf combine with the sakura-strawberry sauce base, giving the beverage more depth in its taste.
Also, at this time, Starbucks released for the first time a sakura tea. The Strawberry Pink Tea combines chamomile tea, strawberry sakura sauce, and freeze-dried strawberries to balance the sweetness.
Starbucks Japan Sakura Drinks in 2019
The SAKURAFUL Milk Latte and SAKURAFUL Frappuccino were the star drinks throughout the sakura season in 2019. Cherry blossoms and strawberries are mainly served as the primary flavors for both drinks. The dancing leaves that had fallen from cherry trees in full bloom served as their inspiration.
Generally, strawberries and milk create a luscious latte with a sweet and creamy flavor. Its pink color resembles the light pink petals, while the dark pink strawberries provide contrast. Then, chocolate shavings top off the final product!
The Frappuccino resembles fully bloomed cherry blossoms reflected in the water. In addition, the drink uses strawberry sauce and sakura to symbolize several cherry trees. Strawberry and cherry blossom milk jellies give the drink a delicious texture! The jelly’s jiggly texture makes for a tasty beverage when combined with the strawberries.
Looking to enjoy delicious Japanese treats during the sakura season? Check out TokyoTreat! TokyoTreat delivers limited-edition Japanese noodles, snacks, drinks, and sweets right to your door so you can enjoy the latest treats directly from Japan!
Starbucks Japan Sakura Drinks in 2020
The first two Starbucks sakura drinks in 2020 were here to wow and find their way into your Instagram feed. The Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino is the most elegant beverage available. It’s a milk-based drink with strawberry cherry blossom sauce with a hint of spring thanks to the cherry blossom extract. Pink rice crackers create cherry blossom petals on top.
Sakura Milk Latte is a non-coffee drink that blends warm milk and cherry blossom strawberry sauce. Perfect for keeping warm when exploring Japan’s best sakura spots.
Starbucks Sakura Drinks in 2021
The Starbucks Sakura Fuwari Berry Frappuccino blended beverage was the first drink of 2021. It’s a creamy mix of blended cherry blossom strawberry sauce and smooth tart raspberry panna cotta. This fluffy delight, with a whipped cream topping, dried strawberries, and crumbs from vanilla sponge cake, was motivated by the highly anticipated sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom.
The Starbucks Sakura Fuwari Berry Milk Latte that was next in line, it’s a heartwarming beverage that mixes cherry blossom strawberry sauce and silky steamed milk, making it perfect for drinking beneath the sakura trees.
Starbucks Sakura Drinks in 2022
The Sakura Strawberry Shiratama Frappuccino was the star of Starbucks Japan’s sakura 2022 drinks. It’s a milky Frappuccino with strawberry and cherry blossom flavorings, whipped cream, and pink chocolate shavings resembling sakura blossoms.
It also has shiratama (a chewy, dumpling-shaped rice cake), adding a beautiful Japanese touch. But the best part is the addition of a pink yatsuhashi (a Kyoto sweet of rice flour and sweet bean paste).
Another iconic drink was the Sakura Saita (blooming) Milk Latte. You could enjoy the beauty of a handcrafted cherry tree in blossom in the form of latte art. The “cherry flowers” were made with chocolate chips, and the “trunk” uses chocolate sauce!
Every spring, we anticipate the blossoming of the sakura trees in Japan, but we’re also excited for limited-edition pink sakura drinks at Starbucks. Different ingredients are paired with cherry blossoms in special limited-edition glasses every year! Have you tried one of the sakura drinks from our list? What’s your favorite Starbucks sakura drink in Japan? Let us know in the comments below!
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