Rikuro’s Cheesecakes in Shin-Osaka station (Osaka, Japan)

This hybrid of sponge cake and classic cheesecake goes by multiple names, including Japanese cheesecake, cotton cheesecake and soufflé cheesecake. The understated, light yet rich confection is defined by a fluffy, airy texture—known as fuwa fuwa in Japanese—that puts it on the opposite end of the spectrum from New York cheesecake.

At the famed Rikuro’s bakery, in the Namba shopping district of Osaka, long lines of customers watch bakers pour batter into pans, then pull hot cakes out of wall ovens accompanied by a ringing bell. (New batches come out every few minutes.) The warm cakes are put into the display case and then branded on top with the store’s logo, a French-­looking chef complete with toqu.