Sakura

Sakura is a Japanese soft cheese made from cow's milk, Japanese yeast, and microbes. It is produced by Kyodogakusha in Hokkaido. The cheese is aged for 10 days, and has a unique pickled cherry blossom in the center (hence the name), making it visually reminiscent of the Japanese flag.

It is covered in a soft white mold, and on the inside it is smooth in texture, while the flavors are delicate, creamy, and light, with notes of shiso leaf and a faint aroma of cherry blossom. Sakura is available only between January and May. It was also the first Japanese cheese to win the gold medal at the Mountain Cheese Olympics in Appenzell, Switzerland.