Morinaga Carre de Chocolat Strawberry Dark Chocolates: One of the delightful things about chocolates in Japan, even inexpensive options available from convenience stores, is they often have clever packaging, the type that make you want to display them and share them with other people. This box of 18 chocolates, costing about $3 USD, contains gold-foil-wrapped dark chocolate squares sized similarly to banquet-style individual servings of butter, the top half tasting of tart and sweet strawberry and the bottom half dark chocolate. The base of th... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese morinaga carre de chocolat strawberry dark chocolates 3.5
Sanritsu Genji Pie: Genji Pies are heart-shaped Palmier cookies that come in individually wrapped packages containing two cookies each. The flaky pastry is surrounded by a ring of sugar, and while the cookies are sweet, they aren't as sweet as most American versions and come in a more snackable size. Feeling happy to have easy access to an affordable cookie that reminds me of home. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese sanritsu genji pie 3.5 cookies
Oreo Crispy Matcha Rollcake-flavored cookies: I like Oreo Crispy cookies more than regular Oreos - their thinness makes them more snackable and less overwhelming sweet, and I think they have a better ratio of filling to cookie. I wasn't sure what to expect from this Matcha Rollcake flavor, wondering specifically what would make them different than just matcha-flavored Oreos. Buying them did not give me that answer, but I can say that they are enjoyable; the slight bitterness of the matcha filling is a nice complement to the also-bitte... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese cookies oreo crispy matcha rollcake-flavored 3.5
Lipton Tea Ice Bubble Tea Ice Bars: I like seeing how American brands reinvent themselves abroad, offering products especially for foreign markets. I see Lipton tea bottled beverages sometimes in vending machines, for example, where as in the US, I only ever associate the brand with tea bags. Their black milk tea ice cream bars are miniature, about 2/3 the size of American fruit bars, and at 45 calories each, I don't feel bad having them. They have a familiar black milk tea flavor with boba pieces throughout that are actual... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese lipton tea ice bubble bars 3.5
Morinaga Lemon Leafy Pie: Individually wrapped packs of two biscuits each, sized only slightly longer than a typical matchbox. The flaky biscuits inside have a lemon icing on one side only; the other exposes a glazed, crispy reminiscent of pie crust. The icing has a sweet but distinct sourness to it, great for fans of acidic treats that have a bit of an edge. Comes in a nice cardboard box that's perforated for easy serving and storing. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese lemon inegaya morinaga leafy pie 3.5
Koikeya Suppa-Mucho Ume Chips: A seasonal flavor based on umeboshi, a traditional pickled plum that has a sour sweet flavor. The chips are thin and crispy and have a unique tangy taste. Having not had umeboshi by itself before, it's difficult for me to assess how closely it tastes of the actual pickled fruit, but the flavor is unlike any chip flavor I've had before and I think is ultimately tasty and worth a try! This is a very widely available brand of chips that you can find at most convenience stores. 3.5/5.0
recommended chips japanese inegaya koikeya suppa-mucho ume 3.5