A Guide to Unique (yet delicious) Japanese Snacks

When it comes to the snack game, no country is winning as much as Japan. Japanese snacks have always been a novelty—and pretty much an absolute must-try for any food junkie out there. After all, you probably can’t find squid ink cheese crackers, mentaiko corn snacks, and even pork katsu jerky in a packet anywhere else in the world.

One thing great about Japanese snacks is that the flavours usually always hit the mark—perhaps because of how serious they take their snacks (read: stemmed from their meticulousness and attention to detail). If you want to go for something way more radical than the typical Pocky and KitKat flavours, this guide to Japanese snacks (both of the sweet and savoury kind) will have you drooling by the time you read the second item on the list:

Sweet

1. Yawahada cat marshmallows, JPY965, + Add To Wishlist:
   Calling all cat lovers who love anything feline-related—this ultra-sweet (in terms of taste and appearance) cat shaped marshmallows are made just for you. Let it float around your mug of hot chocolate and remember to snap a picture—it’s definitely Insta-worthy for your feed.
2. Blendy Stick Hello Kitty beverage, JPY648, + Add To Wishlist:
   Blendy Stick is one of Japan’s most popular instant coffee brands, and this Hello Kitty range sports the most adorable packaging with a variety of flavours, including Hokkaido milk cafe au lait, strawberry, and Suzuka tea.
3. Purple sweet potato and Japanese chestnut chocolate, JPY130, + Add To Wishlist:
   Ever had chocolates with sweet potato and chestnut fillings? If that sounds wonderfully intriguing, try out these or bring ’em home as a decadent food souvenir for your guests.
4. Nisshin Cisco Gorotto Uji Matcha granola, JPY324, + Add To Wishlist:
   We thought it was about time that granola came in green tea flavour. Nissin’s premium granola brand “Gorotto Granola” uses 100% Uji matcha and also includes soy milk cubes made with powdered green tea, adzuki beans, chestnut pieces, and strawberries for a wholesome breakfast.
5. Coro-Coro waffle cubes, JPY270, + Add To Wishlist:
   Wherever can you find cookie-like waffle cubes in bite-sized pieces available in flavours such as maple, strawberry, and chocolate? Japan it is!
6. Yoku Moku Pomme De Terre, JPY2,592, + Add To Wishlist:
   To our pleasant surprise, Japan also enjoys fruit cake as a snack. Yoku Moku’s cube-shaped fruit cakes are topped with butter cream and covered in marzipan and then chocolate. Fun fact: The cake is cured with liquor for over six months to give it a moist and rich flavour.
7. L’Espoir sandwich cookies, JPY1,728, + Add To Wishlist:
   Another snack we couldn’t resist is L’Espoir’s sandwich cookies that have cream spread in the middle. This one boasts flavours such as green tea latte, vanilla orange, double chocolate, berry berry, and even honey lemon for those who’ve got a unique palate.

Savoury

1. Shimahide Quattro Ebi Cheese, JPY2,000, + Add To Wishlist:
   Ebi Senbei (shrimp crackers) is Shimahide’s most popular snack, but their most recent flavour is Quattro Ebi Cheese, with cheese filling stuffed between two Senbei crackers—all made with shrimps from the Seto Inland Sea that have a unique flavour of its own.
2. Yoku Moku Darjeeling and Earl Grey Cigars, JPY713, + Add To Wishlist:
   Another one of Yoku Moku’s popular products is their tea-flavoured rolled butter cookies. Infused with Darjeeling and Earl Grey, it’s made with natural ingredients and also comes in other flavours such as vanilla, chocolate and cafe au lait.
3. Akasaka Chestnut Cake, JPY1,620, + Add To Wishlist:
   Chestnut lovers, here’s the ultimate cake for you. Akasaka’s Chestnut Cake is actually baked with chestnuts and wrapped in a whole grain white bean paste for a wonderful texture that’s unlike any other.
4. Octopus Rice Crackers, JPY2,600, + Add To Wishlist:
   If you like takoyaki (octopus balls), you’d like these octopus flavoured rice crackers. Its mellow flavour is rather interesting as it starts out subtlely sweet but leaves a saltier aftertaste. Defo worth being in your list of Japanese snacks to try.
5. Shimahide Ikasumi shrimp cheese sandwich, JPY3,000, + Add To Wishlist:
   Lastly, go with a more decadent flavour with Shimahide’s squid ink, shrimp and cheese crackers. If you’re all about the fifth taste (umami) when it comes to your foodie picks, this super thin sandwich crackers will be up your alley with a well-rounded flavour.

 

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