Riska Takoyaki Corn Snacks: I loved sampling the different Umaibo flavors available from the local Japanese supermarket when I was living in Berkeley, CA, but I actually had no purchased any Umaibo since living in Japan. However, when I saw this Takoyai flavor, one I had never come across, I knew I had to try it. The snack consists of ring-shaped corn snacks (this one actually included some octopus-shaped pieces too). They're coated in a robust seasoning flavored like takoyaki sauce, which is sweet and a little bit ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese lawson riska takoyaki corn snacks 3.0
Paul Apple Kougin Amann: Paul is a French bakery chain that has locations in several popular spots around Tokyo. I went to the one in the cute Kagurazaka neighborhood of Tokyo. Having not had any European pastries in a long time, it was definitely a treat to see rows of croissants and tarts; you could smell the butter from around the corner. I decided on a kougin amann topped with a couple slices of apple and a thin caramel glaze. It had definitely been sitting out for a while, lacking the comforting warmth of a... (read more) 3.0/5.0
paul tokyo pastrykouginamann apple kougin amann 3.0
Morinaga Choco Monaka Jumbo: First introduced in 1972, this iconic ice cream sandwich comes in a huge bar (especially as far as Japanese desserts go); its grid-like pattern is meant to make it easier to break off and share pieces with others. It features a thin crispy wafer-like exterior, vanilla ice cream, and a shard of chocolate at its center. The wafer is what makes it feel particularly Japanese, as many snacks like cookies or Taiyaki feature the same texture (it's mostly flavorless, acting largely as a protective... (read more) 3.0/5.0
icecream lawson japanese morinaga choco monaka jumbo 3.0
Hio Ice Cream Green Tea Milk Ice Cream: Even before I arrived in Japan, I had bookmarked this modern ice cream shop in Jiyugaoka to try for Tasty Snacking. Unfortunately, it's a bit far away from central Tokyo and I never got a chance to make it out there before COVID hit. I didn't realize, though, that you can actually find their ice cream at certain grocery stores. I went for the classic green tea flavor, which has specks of dark green mixed in. While I was hoping for a strong bitter matcha flavor, it actually disappointingl... (read more) 3.0/5.0
icecream japanese queensisetan hioicecream green tea milk ice cream 3.0 matcha
Happy Pocket Zackey Strawberry Wafer: Purchased this box of square, individually-wrapped wafers from the 100¥ Lawson convenience store. It consists of two different layers: a thicker strawberry icing filling, with bits of freeze dried fruit, and a thinner chocolate layer. The dried fruit was refreshingly tart, the wafers crispy but otherwise fairly ordinary. I haven't seen it elsewhere than the 100¥ store, which makes me think it's probably on the low end of the junk food totem pole. 3.0/5.0
japanese lawson happypocket zackey strawberry wafer 3.0
Calbee 大人の ポテリッチ カマンベールベーコン味 Camembert Bacon Flavor Potato Chips: According to the press release for this limited edition flavor, Calbee introduced a line of ポテリッチ "Potato Rich" chips for adults in October 2020 partially in response to the trend of increased drinking at home due to the pandemic – these chips are meant to pair well with alcohol. The combination of meat with cheese was surprising to me, and as far as I know is not actually something that's done here in Japan. The actual flavor is a combination of bacon and camembert, and you can definitely... (read more) 3.0/5.0
chips japanese camembert bacon lawson calbee 大人の ポテリッチ カマンベールベーコン味 flavor potato 3.0