Famed for – and named after – its glorious mont blanc dessert, this Jiyugaoka icon is one of Japan’s most loved cake purveyors. Its original shop right next to Jiyugaoka Station has been running since 1933, but has since moved to a newer location just a few minutes away. The new Mont Blanc has a modern interior that almost looks like a gallery, especially with the paintings by Japanese artist Seiji Togo.
The showcase in the centre features an array of cakes and desserts such as strawberry shortcake (¥780), caramel custard pudding (¥780), eclair (¥780) and its famed mont blanc (¥880). A traditional mont blanc is a ball of meringue covered in whipped cream and sweet chestnut, but the shop’s first owner, Chimao Sakota, put a Japanese twist on it by using a cream infused with candied Japanese chestnuts, thus producing a golden ‘mountain’ and an indulgent dessert.
The recipe has remained unchanged throughout the years and while there are plenty of other delectable treats on offer, trying any of them before tasting the main attraction would be blasphemy. While take-out is the norm, we recommend eating your desserts out on the terrace when it’s sunny.