Move over, peanut butter and jelly. While the fluffy, white-bread exterior of Japan’s fruit sando (i.e., sandwich) might seem unassuming, its interior holds something special. Chunks of fresh fruit, such as strawberries, kiwi, and banana are suspended in a light, fluffy whipped cream. Special care is taken in assembling fruit sandos. Often, they are cut so precisely that the perfectly-sliced fruit shines against the background of cream and bread like pieces of stained glass.

This fruity take on a sandwich doesn’t make for a filling lunch. Made with sweet shokupan bread, it’s a breakfast treat, or a very photographable snack along with afternoon tea. They’re even sometimes available at Japanese convenience stores, alongside a vast array of other sandwich flavors, including the currently-trendy pork katsu sando. 

And while any fruits can decorate the inside of a sando, early summer in Japan means it’s time for an all-strawberry version, in the form of the very popular ichigo sando.