Chocolate confections are a staple of souvenirs in any country. Especially when there are flavors available only in Japan, even if they are sold in other countries, you may want to buy them as souvenirs. In this article, we introduce eight recommended Japanese chocolate confections that can be purchased at supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, and discount stores. They are all reasonably priced, so be sure to try them while you are on vacation.
Nestle Japan| Kit Kat series
Kit Kat is often sold in foreign countries. However, Japanese Kit Kat has different packaging and flavors, including local and seasonal flavors, making it a perfect souvenir. Typical Japanese flavors include the classic green tea flavor, sake flavor, and strawberry cheesecake flavor in a package shaped like Mount Fuji. They are packaged in small portions, so you can enjoy sharing them with family, friends, or colleagues.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Kit Kat series
Distributor: Nestle Japan Co.
Suggested retail price [S2]: 685 yen (including tax)
Ezaki Glico |Pocky Series
Launched in 1966, Pocky is a pretzel covered with chocolate. They come in a variety of chocolate flavors, including green tea, strawberry, and crushed almond. There are also limited-time-only flavors and local flavors available as souvenirs. There is also a giant Pocky that is 1.5 times the size of a regular Pocky. In summer, it is recommended to eat them chilled.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Pocky series
Distributor: Ezaki Glico Co.
Suggested retail price: 160 yen (including tax)
Lotte|Toppo Series
A pretzel that is hollow inside and filled with plenty of chocolate. The chocolate inside keeps your hands clean, and the pretzel’s slightly hard and crunchy texture and the chocolate that is well filled to the end are its distinguishing features. If you have a sweet tooth, try Toppo , which contains bitter chocolate.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Toppo series
Distributor: Lotte Corporation
Suggested retail price: 172 yen (including tax)
Bourbon |Alfort 168g
Alfort is a whole grain biscuit covered with smooth chocolate. The standard flavors are chocolate and rich milk, and there are also limited-time-only flavors. For souvenirs, we recommend the family size, which comes individually wrapped. There is also a smaller, boxed Alfort that is perfect to take along while traveling. You can also arrange it by eating a marshmallow between two pieces of Alfort, or mixing crushed Alfort to make scones.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Alfort FS
Distributor: Bourbon Inc.
Suggested retail price: 365 yen (tax included)
Yuraku Confectionery|Black Thunder Mini Bar 158g
Black Thunder is a candy consisting of cocoa cookies and plain biscuits wrapped in chocolate. The bitterness of the cocoa cookie, the sweetness of the chocolate, and the satisfying crunchy texture make it a popular product. Sold at 35 yen (excluding tax) each, the “Black Thunder Mini Bar” is a good choice for souvenirs, as it is individually packaged in miniature sizes.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Black Thunder Mini Bar
Selling company: Yuraku Confectionery Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 324 yen (tax included)
Meiji Bamboo Shoots 70g
Takenokonosato is a bamboo shoot shaped cookie covered with milk chocolate. The perfect distribution of cookies and chocolate makes for an addictive taste. In Japan, people sometimes get excited about which they like better, the mushroom mountain, which will be introduced later. Please buy both, Takenokonosato and Mushroom Mountain, and compare them.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Takenokonosato
Distributor: Meiji Co.
Suggested retail price: 244 yen (tax included)
Meiji Corporation｜Kikonoyama 74g
Kikonoyama is a confectionery that has been loved by Japanese people for many years and will celebrate its 50th anniversary of sale in 2025. The cracker is covered with chocolate in the shape of a mushroom, and the chocolate portion can be tasted more thoroughly than the Takenokonosato introduced one before.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Mushroom no Yama
Distributor: Meiji Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 244 yen (tax included)
Fujiya|Country Ma’am 18 pieces
Country Ma’am is a cookie with a crispy outside and moist inside texture, filled with chocolate chips. Warm them in a toaster or microwave oven to enjoy their freshly baked taste. There are also regional products, such as Country Ma’ams that reproduce the flavors of local sweets and fruits.
<Basic Information＞
Name: 18-sheet Country Ma’am (Vanilla & Cocoa)
Distributor: Fujiya Co.
Suggested retail price: 594 yen (tax included)
Summary
Japanese chocolate confections are reasonably priced and delicious, making them perfect souvenirs. It is a good idea to compare them during your trip and pick your favorite one as a souvenir. In particular, we recommend that you try the same confectionery, but in a flavor that is only available in the region you are in.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
