Kit Kat Okinawa Beni Imo KitKat: There are a few different form factors for KitKats here in Japan beyond the breakable sticks, along with a never-ending stream of seasonal flavors. This special edition KitKat came in a resealable pouch with a flavor inspired by Japanese Beni Imo sweet potato from Okinawa. I haven't had the chance to try it, but apparently there is a very famous Beni Imo tart featuring a swirling mound of sweet potato creme (pictured on the packaging). The Kit Kats come in bite-sized cubes and have a thic... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Pringles Takoyaki Flavor: These special edition Pringles were originally released in the Kansai region of Japan, but I was able to find them at an Odaiba vending machine in Tokyo. With the vending machine, you pay 200¥ (about $2 USD) and press a button to randomly get between 1 and 3 mini Pringles cans. I ended up with one but luckily still received the flavor I was looking for, which is meant to resemble the Japanese street snack takoyaki, battered octopus meatballs drizzled with mayonnaise and a sweet and tangy b... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Lotte Cheesecake Koala's March: The way this product sat on the shelves at my local kobini, I was initially drawn in by the cheesecake flavor before realizing it was also a special collaboration with Pokemon. These are standard Koala's March biscuits, shaped like koalas with an icing-like filling. With this collaboration, the cookies also feature prints of Pokemon as well as cute koalas doing random things (I found a koala caught in a UFO catcher in this box, something I suspect I wouldn't find in America). I liked Pokemo... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Nissin Annoimo Waguri sweet potato cookies: I grew up eating coconut sable biscuits from Asian grocery stores, the type that has scalloped edges and a glazed coating with flakes of sugar. I like them so much that i made the biscuit my avatar for Tasty Snacking. It turns out that in Japan, there are extended flavors of this basic coconut cookie. For autumn, they have a sweet potato flavor with decorative packaging featuring maple leaves and chestnuts. I was pretty amazed by how concentrated they were able to get the sweet potato flav... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Orangina Blood Orange Soda: A "born in France, bottled in Japan" flavor of Orangina featuring blood orange, one of my favorite citrus variants. The color is a tad more red than grapefruit juice; it's pulp-less, unlike normal Orangina. Doesn't have the same tart flavor you'd get from fresh blood orange fruit but does have a distinct berry-like flavor that distinguishes it from regular orange juice. On the sweet side but still refreshing. 3.5/5.0
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Orangina Muscat Sparkling Soda: A special edition grape flavored Orangina introduced for the Japanese market, this soda still contains citrus (orange, grapefruit, and lemon) with the addition of "Muscat of Alexandria," a type of white wine grape. Like normal Orangina, it only has a small percentage of actual juice (12%) but tastes less artificial than Sunkist or other orange soda alternatives. The main flavor is still orange soda (as opposed to tasting like grape soda), but it does have a different enough aftertaste that... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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