Don’t judge — but for all the obvious things I thought would blow me away in Japan, it’s their love for strawberries that caught my eye. In a good way, of course.

Japanese strawberries are the real deal

I had no idea that this fruit was so big here so when I saw the number of stores in Dotonbori lined up selling strawberries, my first question was “What’s up with that?”

Fun fact: Japan ranks high when it comes to the global consumption of fresh strawberries; in fact, per capita consumption is said to be around 4.2 kg. That makes total sense given that there are farms located in every prefecture, and they excel in developing new varieties and improving the current ones. The country currently boasts over 300 types of strawberries.

Us being tourists, you know the drill. OF COUUURSEEE we had to try it! 😀

A berry sweet surprise

Before being fully overstimulated in Dotonbori, my friends and I found ourselves in front of a cute shop that left too good of an impression for us to just walk past it. The storefront matters, people! It was Strawberry Mania, and our eyes were immediately fixated on the display — quite literally tempted by the wide variety of strawberry-infused treats. The other stores we passed by mostly only offered the plain or candied options. Here — they have mochi, mini cakes, ice cream, and more.

Judging by the queue that time, it was clearly a must-try, so I didn’t even hesitate even though I’d just ordered strawberries from another shop minutes before.

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Strawberry Mania

As the name suggests, this famous dessert shop is solely dedicated to the delicious red fruit. They have quite an extensive menu — with mochi, tart, sponge cake, eclairs, ice cream, daifuku, candies, and more.

I already bought chocolate-drizzled strawberries minutes prior, so I opted for what I can only guess is another star of the show, their daifuku. It looks delicious!

Biting into this delectable dessert will make you appreciate the chewy rice cakes made from mochi rice. It’s pillowy soft. Plus, it’s topped with a plump and delicious strawberry. I got the one with chocolate filling while my friends tried the other options. I’d say it’s a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds (personal rating: 8/10 ⭐) You can’t go wrong with this one if you’re after a yummy treat.

The candied treats were also good — and you can taste the real sweetness of the strawberries, and not just because of its sugar coat.

My only regret is not trying the milky soft serve ice cream because I saw so many good reviews (idk if it’s just the hype) about it.

Treat yourself to a delectable bite or two

I would have loved to try everything from Strawberry Mania, but there are honestly just too many strawberry shops around that I ended up buying from whichever is closest to me. 😅 Anyway, this shop is still worth trying because not only does the famous red fruit take center stage, but you can explore so many more desserts vs. the other stores.

If you find yourself in Dotonbori, don’t leave without grabbing at least one strawberry treat. Your sweet tooth will thank you. 😚

Strawberry Mania (Dotonbori Branch)
Address: 1 Chome-3-17 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Store Hours: Daily from 11 am to 10 pm (hours might differ during special occasions)
Note: For takeaway orders only