Ah the Japanese Sweets, Milk tea and food - enough said

I thought I would come here and Alivia and I would eat healthy...sushi everyday. Instead it is my worst nightmare or maybe my ultimate fantasy. (there is a fine line between love and hate) There are sweets EVERYWHERE. My favorites:

**Mocchi - i love those sweet rice balls, like the red bean the best. Prefer them to not have anything in them. They even have them on a stick, covered in chocolate or carmel.
**Crepes - there is a large french influence here, a boulangerie on every corner. not bad, but not french
**Creme puffs - made to look like swans, etc. Yummy. Papa Beard in NY is an extension of those, though i haven't seen one in japan yet.
**Crepe cake - multi-layered. Just like the one you can get a takashimaya in new york. I got one at this little coffee shop down from the hotel across from Shinjuku station - Cafe Miyama. Excellent and i got my milk tea too (Love that milk tea). On the last day i finally made it inside takashimaya and purchased a slice from there too! Speaking of takashimaya they are all over town and the stores are HUGE.
Jello drinks - Alivia had a strawberry one. I didn't like it so much, but her being from utah love them.
strawberry shortcake - not like our traditional US version, but delicious all the same. Sponge cake and fresh strawberries.
Green tea pastries in green tea wraps.
Momiji manju - maple-leaf shaped cakes.- can get them fresh in asakusa - very hot (like the crispy creme donuts in the US) and even better ones in Hiroshima near the miyajima port. So fresh filled with chocolate, creme, red bean paste and green tea. Bringing some home.
Calpris - my favorite soft drink ever!. i don't know what is in it, but it is opaque and has a grapefruit taste. - turns out it is soda, dried milk and sugar that is fermented. so delicious.