Japan is far away from America — the landscapes of Hokkaido, Tokyo, and Fuji only live in the imaginations of some. I sometimes miss the Japanese snacks that are widely sold in other Asian countries such as China, Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. Thanks to the internet, I can purchase Japanese candies online without flying overseas. Did you know that you can use the same money to purchase some chocolate that’s better than Dove and Hershey’s?
1. Lotte Koalas March Craker
Photo courtesy of pinterest.com
Koala-shaped crackers with chocolate inside are one of the most popular snacks throughout Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China. Each cracker is a different koala shape. In Asia, the koala-shaped cracker product is a huge trend and the Lotte company produces millions every year. Besides chocolate, there is also milk and strawberry flavors. I even found white chocolate flavor in my home country, China!
2. Nabisco Oreo Chocobar
Photo courtesy of snackinn.com
You tried traditional round Oreo cookies, but have you ever tried the chocolate bar with macadamia nuts? Nabisco Oreo Chocobar is the innovation of Oreo industry in Japan. It tastes crunchy like Twix and chocolatey like Dove. Besides macadamia flavor, there’s also strawberry and white chocolate.
3. Meiji Meltyblend
Photo courtesy of miibox.com
If I’m being quite honest, Meltyblend is the best chocolate I have ever tried and it’s the most popular Japanese chocolate from the Meiji company. The chocolate melts within 5 seconds of putting it in your mouth and tastes like a little piece of heaven. Along with milk tea flavor, there’s strawberry and chocolate milk.
4. Chocolate Waffle Sand
Photo courtesy of okashi-jp.com
You’ve eaten a soft and fluffy waffle with abundant syrup before, but have you ever tried a thin and crispy waffle with chocolate inside? Tokyo’s Chocolate Waffle Sands are also called “Gouden Wafels” because the surfaces of these waffle sands are golden brown. There are actually some English errors in the name — it’s supposed to be called “Golden Waffle” but the taste of the snacks can make people forget the misspelling of the name.
5. Meiji Chocolate Gummies
Photo courtesy of blog.rekuru.com
Gummy bears and gummy worms are American candy staples, but let’s talk about chocolate with the gummy inside. Not only are Meiji Chocolate Gummies super yummy, but they come in an adorable circular tube packaging.
6. Glico Pocky Midi
Photo courtesy of asianfoodgrocer.com
Glico is one of the biggest snack companies in Japan and one of their popular products is the Pocky Midi (Midi means “middle”). These snacks are cookie sticks with either a chocolate or strawberry frost coating.
7. Yoku Moku Cigarette Cookies
Photo courtesy of neimanmarcus.com
These taquito-looking cookies are made simply with egg and butter, but are super delicious. They’re a European-style snack, but Yoku Moku, the company who produces them, is based out of Tokyo.
8. Kobe Strawberry Truffles
Photo courtesy of global.rakuten.com
I know what you’re thinking. Aren’t these the same things as chocolate-covered strawberries? Incorrect. Both Franze and Hokkaido make a product that features a preserved strawberry in a chocolate coating, which is served in a box. It sounds very bizarre, but the Japanese do make this kind of treat.
9. ROYCE Chocolate
Photo courtesy of royce.com
Royce chocolate is a trend in Japan, and the company produces two main types of chocolate — the Nama Chocolate and the chocolate wafers. The Nama Chocolate looks like fudge, but it’s soft with chocolate-flavored cream inside. Meanwhile, the chocolate wafers taste crunchy and crispy because the inside is a waffle cracker covered with a chocolate coating. The Nama Chocolate’s flavors include dark chocolate, champagne, and green tea while the wafers include hazelnut, tiramisu, and strawberry. Yum!
10. Shiroi Koibito White
Photo courtesy of miibox.com
In Japanese, the Shiroi Koibito White directly translates to “the White Lover. “This is a European-style snack but is produced from Hokkaido, Japan. Tourists who travel to Japan often get the Shiroi Koibito White candy as a souvenir. The Shiroi Koibito White is made of freshly baked langue de chat biscuits (which is French for “cat’s tongue-shaped cookie”) and white chocolate inside. It tastes a combination of sweet, smooth, creamy and kind of crispy. All the original and authentic ingredients come from Hokkaido, Japan.