With Mother's Day on May 12th approaching, Western confectionery, second only to flowers, is becoming increasingly popular. We spoke with Takahiro Kusada, manager of the Food & Restaurant Sales Department at Mitsukoshi Ginza, about trends in Mother's Day sweets for 2013.

In addition to the store's popular brand "ohzan" (croissant rusk) that draws long lines, and "Patisserie Mon Cher," a sister brand of Dojima Roll, Kusada says that this year, "limited-edition brands that can only be purchased at this store (Mitsukoshi Ginza) are gaining popularity."

The only permanent shop in Japan for Parisian chocolatier and pastry chef Frederic Cassel is located at Ginza Mitsukoshi. The brand, which has made waves by exhibiting at Salon du Chocolat, is proposing a collaboration box with Ginza flower shop "jardin MANUELLE." as a Mother's Day gift. This pound cake, baked with high-quality French flour and butter, is paired with a preserved flower arrangement. It's priced at 7,350 yen.

Launched in March last year, "Desserts the" offers an original sweets brand that proposes the "marriage of sweets and tea." The most popular item is the "Cake Canelé" (315 yen each). The dough is made with rice flour from Kumamoto Prefecture. These moistly baked "Cake Canelé" come in six flavors, including "Raspberry," "Chocolate Orange," and "Earl Grey Apricot." Popular choices include assorted boxes of three (1,155 yen) and six (2,100 yen), as well as gift sets with tea.

Online orders, which the company embarked on for the first time this year, are also performing well, with sales expected to exceed budget by 120%. The peak sales season for Western-style confectionery is May 11th, with demand for whole fresh cakes second only to Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day) and Christmas. The day before Mother's Day, there are constant lines at each shop. Original items related to the Kabukiza Theater, which opened in April, are also popular as Mother's Day gifts, especially Japanese sweets. The Western-style confectionery floor offers a wide selection of Ginza-exclusive shops and original products. Original products account for over 20% of sales at the Ginza store, and Western-style confectionery accounts for 50% of sales. Western-style confectionery accounts for the top share of individual items, driving sales on the food floor. The store remodeled and expanded the entire building in September 2010. Food sales have been strong, with the entire food department up 4% in fiscal 2012 compared to the previous year. The construction of high-rise apartment buildings in the nearby Harumi district has reportedly increased customer traffic from the surrounding area.