Japan's Latest Food Craze Is This Flying Bear-Shaped Bread

People love gimmicks when it comes to food, whether it's something practical or just plain cute. From cookies that double as cups for milk, to dough baked in the shape of spoons, bakers and chefs have consistently found cool ways to add a little fun to food. The latest edible sensation comes from Tokyo, where RocketNews 24 reports that a bakery has created a sweet potato and custard creme-filled bread that's shaped like an adorable flying bear.

Called "Fly! Kumapan" (kuma means bear in Japanese, and pan is a kind of sweet bread), the smiling bear replaced the bakery's previous treat, which was shaped like a demon. Kokone Bakery writes on Facebook that because its facility is so small, only 30 of the treats are made each day, making it necessary to limit the amount that customers can buy at a time. But there's good news if you're not one of the 30 lucky customers and don't feel like trying one of the bakery's 20 other breads; there's an online reservation system that will let you guarantee a bear for future consumption.

[h/t Rocketnews 24]