One of the year's first big openings in Tokyo has been Ginza Six, a large shopping center located in the heart of the capital. It's a huge space featuring fancy fashion stores, wallet-emptying designer bag retailers and a noh theater. It's not exactly geared toward the average Tokyoite, save for fanciful window shopping.
Desserts, though, might be the one area Ginza Six allows the rest of us to enjoy a little decadence. The 13-story complex boasts many stores devoted to sweets and, while they aren't exactly cheap, most of them are worth splurging on every once in a while.
A highlight is Honmido, a spot in the second underground floor serving up fancy takes on traditional Japanese desserts and flavors. They offer almond pies and pancake-like sweets, but what caught my eye were the "Honmido Sand," small treats featuring a sweet cream stuffed between two flavored wafers. The treats (¥680 for four, ¥1,300 for eight and ¥3,240 for 20) are simple, but highlight two classic Japanese flavors, kinako roasted soybean flour and matcha green tea. The bare-bones approach allows these tastes to shine through, with the cream adding a nice sweetness to each bite — and all for a price that won't force you take out a loan.
