Japanese food looms large in the global consciousness.

If you want great seafood, sushi or sashimi spring to mind for millions. If it’s beef you’re craving, a magnificently marbled slab of wagyu has few imitators. Ramen has spread around the world, and even smaller bites — edamame, gyōza (dumplings), miso soup and more — have held taste buds captive on just about every continent.

And yet there’s one part of the culinary spectrum where Japan doesn't seem to have a flagbearer dish: dessert. Does this mean the country is bereft of sweet treats? On the contrary — recently, Japanese confections have proven themselves to be among the best in the world.