Chomeiji Sakuramochi in Sumida City, Japan

In Tokyo's Mukōjima neighborhood, a centuries-old food business has a charming origin story. Yamamoto Shinroku, a custodian at Chōmeiji temple, faced a practical problem in seventeen seventeen: too many fallen cherry blossom leaves. His solution was inspired—he salted the leaves and wrapped them around red bean paste-filled crêpes, creating Chōmeiji-style sakuramochi. According to Atlas Obscura, the delicate confection became an instant sensation, selling by the thousands to temple-goers. The stand eventually grew into a teahouse that still operates today and has become far more famous than the temple itself.

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