Fanta Premier Peach Soda: Fanta has all sorts of flavors in Japan that you can't get in the US, including melon, pineapple, and now peach. It's made with 13% actual juice (Minute Maid branded) to give you a sense of a potential gap between packaging / marketing and actual contents. The soda has a champagne gold color and tastes very much like peach-flavored candies. In particular, I used to love eating Kasugai Japanese fruit gummies that came individually wrapped and were shaped like half domes; this drink is like... (read more) 3.0/5.0
soda japanese aeon fanta premier peach 3.0 drinks
Lotte Gateau Fromage Petite Choco Pies: I was amused by the "coffee & something" tagline of Morihico, the coffee chain whose "gateau fromage" (cheesecake) is the featured flavor of this limited edition Choco Pie. The petite Choco Pies are pocket-sized and good for snacking, but I typically eat two which may defeat the purpose. Each individually-wrapped pie consists of two layers of cake with a cream filling the color of egg custard, all covered with a thin layer of milk chocolate. The cheesecake filling tasted like it was seasone... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese aeon cake lotte gateau fromage petite choco pies 3.0
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
recommended japanese aeon lotte cheesecake koala's march 3.5
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
Morinaga Strawberry aloe yogurt: I will miss aloe yogurt, with it's combination of tangy loose yogurt and chewy, juicy aloe cubes. While it seems like the soft-on-soft textures might not be a match, they are unexpectedly harmonious. This strawberry version has the typically sweet berry flavor you'd expect alongside small pieces of strawberry. I like it as much as the original -- it's definitely a standard snack you can find anywhere, but it's dependably good. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese aeon morinaga strawberry aloe yogurt 3.5
Nichirei Cheese waffles: Probably meant for kids, I was nonetheless intrigued by the idea of cheese-filled waffle sticks and grabbed this bag from the frozen aisle as I was waiting in line at Aeon. They're a bit bigger than fish sticks but definitely portable and easy to heat up in the microwave. Surprisingly, the texture of the waffles is pretty decent, and it has a fluffier, softer consistency than the crispy waffles you might make in an iron, but the same familiar eggy flavor. The cheese is very minimal and mild,... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese frozen aeon nichirei cheese waffles 3.5