Department stores might already be in full Christmas mode, but specialty dessert stores aren't giving up on autumn staples just yet, with several still rolling out elevated takes on the familiar Mont Blanc.
Kuriho’s new Asakusa branch (which opened Nov. 17) has started selling a vibrant green tea variety, which uses specially selected tea leaves that pair well with the taste of the sweet’s signature chestnut. At ¥2,420 (after tax) it doesn't come cheap, but does offer an upscale take on what’s often a run-of-the-mill dessert.
Another new opening this month, Imoko Jiyugaoka, has also invented an especially sweet version of the Mont Blanc. Its Oimono Mont Blanc adds a custard creme brulee atop a rich satsumaimo (sweet potato) paste. This concoction (¥1,760 after tax) shows how the fall staple can be easily merged with traditional wagashi (Japanese sweet) flavors, and that there's always new ways to freshen up a classic.