Hebesu Drink Citrus Beverage: I got introduced to a lot of new citrus fruits while living in Japan. Hebesu, a round lime-like fruit, comes from Miyazaki prefecture. This uncarbonated drink was pleasantly tart and sweet, kind of like kalamansi in flavor profile, though accordingly the package, it only contains 10% juice. Purchased at Coop grocery store. 3.0/5.0
drinks citrus japanese hebesudrink beverage 3.0
Lotte Koala March Shortcake Flavor: Koala March is one of those brands that many Asian people are familiar with in the states – I've seen it in groceries stores of all types, including Chinese (99 Ranch), Korean (H-Mart), and Japanese (Nijiya). I grew up eating the strawberry flavored ones, and I was curious how this limited edition shortcake flavor, purchased from Aeon in Tokyo, would compare. Like all Koala March, it features Koala-shaped biscuits with a solid icing filling - this one tasted of a neutral cream filing, like... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese aeon lotte koala march shortcake flavor 3.0
Tohato Milky Caramel Corn: To prevent the spread of COVID, all drinking fountains were disabled, and all restaurants were closed at Narita International Airport. The only place to buy food in Terminal 1 was at their Lawson convenient store, which sold a variety of packaged snacks. I hadn't seen this Milky version of Caramel Corn, based on the popular condensed-milk-flavored candies, so I got it to eat for breakfast before my flight. The puffed corn took on the flavor of milk candy remarkably well, tasting like a cr... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese tohato milky caramel corn 3.0
Gari Gari Kun Kyushu Mikan mandarin orange popsicle : I am a fan of Kumamon, a popular black bear mascot representing Kumamoto prefecture in Japan. He's kind of everywhere, so I wasn't surprised to find him on ice cream packaging for this mandarin flavored popsicle with citrus from Kyushu . The rectangular ice brick reminds me of Sunkist, with a tangy slightly too-concentrated-to-be-natural orange flavor, though it is enjoyable for what it is. Purchased from Family Mart. 3.0/5.0
familymart japanese garigarikun kyushu mikan mandarin orange popsicle 3.0
Kellogg's Hershey's Strawberry Chocobits: Strawberry milk was a guilty pleasure of mine growing up. We weren't allowed to buy chocolate or strawberry syrup at home, so I would covet Nesquik powder every time I visited a friend's house. I haven't seen this brand of Hershey's cereal outside of Japan, but it normally comes in a chocolate flavor featuring cereal nuggets with a cream filling. It definitely leans more towards the taste of cereal than say an Oreo cookie, but it's also certainly engineered for a kid's palette. The straw... (read more) 3.0/5.0
cereal japanese kelloggs hershey's strawberry chocobits 3.0
Mister Donut Sakura Mochi Donut: Cherry blossom season is about to start, and seasonal sakura-themed snacks are already being featured in snack aisles and specialty shops alike. Mister Donut, a popular donut chain in Japan (though originally from the US), has several special donuts for this occassion, each packaged in its own takeaway box with "misdo" branding. Every donut has a slightly different emphasis on either sakura, matcha, or white chocolate flavors. The sakura mochi donut I purchased builds on their classic ring ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
mochidonut misterdonut sakura mochi donut 3.0 japanese