This year’s Christmas cake can be reserved at department stores in Umeda, Kyoto and Kobe, too. Patisserie GOKAN, an Osaka Kitahama confectionery brand that focuses on Japanese-grown ingredients, will take reservations for all seven of its 2026 Christmas cakes at its stores from Sunday, November 1. The lineup includes a Santa-topped decorated cake, a bûche de Noël and a bright red “Fraise Noël,” all cheerful to look at.
Seven cakes, from the classic decorated cake to chocolate and strawberry
The flagship “GOKAN Christmas Decoration” combines a sponge that melts in the mouth, rich whipped cream and ripe strawberries with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. It comes in size 4 (about 12 cm) at ¥4,320 (tax included), size 5 (about 15 cm) at ¥5,400 (tax included) and size 6 (about 18 cm) at ¥6,480 (tax included). The Kawanishi Hankyu Square store carries only sizes 4 and 5.
The other six are:
- GOKAN Bûche de Noël: cocoa sponge layered with chocolate buttercream and shaped like a tree stump. Size 4 (about 12 cm), ¥4,536 (tax included)
- GOKAN Fraise Noël: strawberry mousse and vanilla bavarois combined with strawberry cream, strawberry and raspberry jelly, and fresh strawberries. Size 4 (about 12 cm), ¥4,320 (tax included)
- GOKAN Noël Chocolat Rouge: a jelly of five red fruits and cassis cream wrapped in chocolate mousse. Size 4 (about 12 cm), ¥4,536 (tax included)
- Gâteau Chocolat Noël: made with carefully selected chocolate, rich yet remarkably smooth, on a crunchy base of hazelnut and cookie dough. Size 5 (about 15 cm), ¥3,672 (tax included)
- Strawberry Christmas Special – D’étente en famille: a generous 7-size cake (about 21 cm) made with a moist Sanuki wasanbon sugar sponge and plenty of ripe strawberries, meant to be shared by the family. ¥16,200 (tax included); limited quantity, reservations only
Fraise Noël and Noël Chocolat Rouge are available at all stores. The Bûche de Noël, Gâteau Chocolat Noël and Strawberry Christmas Special are available at all stores except Kawanishi Hankyu Square. With this much choice, it helps to decide the size and type for your group before you go.
A buttercream classic at just two stores
The odd one out is the “GOKAN Retro Christmas,” a nostalgic buttercream cake that is a staple at the Kitahama Main Store: pie sandwiched between rich praline cream and a sponge that melts in the mouth. Size 5 (about 15 cm), ¥5,400 (tax included). It is sold only at the Kitahama Main Store and the Nakanoshima Daibiru store, in limited quantities by reservation.
Buttercream Christmas cakes are now hard to find, so this one may appeal to anyone looking for a taste of nostalgia.
Reserve in store only, prepay, pick up Dec 21–25
Reservations are taken at each store only — not by phone, fax or email. Payment is made in advance so pick-up goes smoothly. Changes and cancellations are accepted until December 18 at the store where you reserved, and you collect your cake at that same store. Hand your reservation slip to the staff when you pick up. The Kawanishi Hankyu Square and Nakanoshima Daibiru stores are reservation-only, with no same-day sales. Quantities are limited, so some cakes may sell out.
Reservation and sales details
- Reservation period: Sunday, November 1 – Friday, December 18, 2026 (department-store locations follow each department store’s schedule; Nakanoshima Daibiru store starts November 2)
- Pick-up period: Monday, December 21 – Friday, December 25, 2026
- How to reserve: in store only (prepayment; no reservations by phone, fax or email)
- Stores: Kitahama Main Store / Nakanoshima Daibiru / Umeda Hankyu / Nishinomiya Hankyu / Kobe Hankyu / Kawanishi Hankyu Square / Takashimaya Kyoto / Takashimaya Osaka / Takashimaya Senboku
- Official website (Japanese): https://www.patisserie-gokan.co.jp/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gokan_kitahama/
