It's final's week here at iCLA and I'm down to single digits before I head to the airport for my very long flight back to Pennsylvania. I'm a mix of stress and excitement and it's a little bittersweet too. So since I've had plenty of time to gather a lot of pictures and try a lot of new things, this post is about all of the wacky, wild, weird and totally unique Japanese snacks and candies! If you know even a little about Japan, you probably know that it's home to an insane variety of snacks and sweets that are like nothing we have back in the states. One of the most famous Japanese snacks is Pocky, which is essentially just a biscuit stick dipped in chocolate (or a variety of other unique flavors). Back in the states it's easy to find the two classic pocky flavors at most super markets, those being chocolate and strawberry, however, in Japan Pocky comes in so many different flavors.
Midi pocky are shorter, but have more of the flavored coating on the outside, these are the only flavors I've seen of midi: Strawberry latte, butter cocoa and caramel latte.
A few kinds of Pocky at the convenience store: almond, salted chocolate, mint, chocolate (original and thin stick), milky chocolate, strawberry hearts... And these are just a few.
One thing that I can't get over about Japanese snacks is the packaging, as a graphic design/art student, I can't get enough of it! They're designed in such a colorful way, but at the same time they're simple and really appealing. Also, aside from the packaging, the snacks themselves can be incredibly cute.
Some of the bright and adorable packaging of Japanese soda candy and panda cookies.
Japanese snacks aren't always cute and sweet, however, they have quite a few odd flavors that are sure to intrigue foreigners too.
Shrimp and salami flavors are popular among savory snacks.
Perhaps one familiar snack that Japan is most famous for is KitKats. KitKats are popular, but here in Japan they are nothing like back home.
(from the top) Pumpkin pudding, cheese cake, matcha (green tea), dark chocolate, strawberry cheesecake, cookies and cream.
These are just a fraction of the KitKat variety you can find here, other popular kinds include: purple sweet potato, sakura (cherry blossom), edamame, pear, strawberry (everything comes in strawberry flavor here, seriously), red bean (same deal as strawberry, everything), wasabi and many many many more. There are actual KitKat botiques located throughout Japan, you can even "bake" some of the varieties to add to the flavor!
Sweet potato KitKats are one of the kinds that recommend baking for a short time.
If you're a fan of ice cream, and seriously who isn't?! I recommend that you try as many flavors of mochi ice cream as possible, because not only are they delicious, they're super convenient. Mochi is a sort of dough made from rice powder (it has an almost marshmallow-y taste in my opinion) and then ice cream in placed inside the dough. They're usually sold in packs of two, but at some stores you can buy a box of nine. These also come in a lot of flavors (some limited to seasons, etc.) and there are always new ones popping up.
A few different kinds of mochi ice cream: chocolate and caramel filled, vanilla, cookies and cream and cream cheese icing with cookie bits.
There are also a TON of vending machines all over Japan that serve way more than drinks. Some serve hot or cold beverages, some serve hot food, some even serve ice cream!
Ice cream cone from a vending machine and quite possibly the best ice cream treat I've ever had, it's just way too convenient! Definitely recommend!
Super markets here often have small snacks for cheaper prices too, definitely take advantage of those aisles to try some new things or get familiar treats you miss from home.
So, I initially thought I could be pretty thorough on this subject since I've been seeing and trying these crazy unique snacks for months, but I realize now that even after all this, I've barely even scratched the tip of the iceberg! Japan has so many one of a kind snacks and candies that it's something you really need to experience for yourself if you get the chance one day. If anyone is considering spending a semester or more in Japan and would like to ask me any questions (be it about snack recommendations or anything else) I'm more than happy to answer anything I can, I can't say enough good stuff about Japan as a whole.
Well, I'm preparing to head over to ICC for their Christmas party now, next week's post will likely be about my last trip to Tokyo (aside from when I head to the airport that is).
Until then,
Julia.
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