Mount Takao Mitarashi Dango: A couple weekends ago, I went hiking at Mount Takao, a scenic destination about an hour from Tokyo with views of Mount Fuji from the 600m tip. It's especially famous for its colorful autumn leaves, which I was very thankful to get to experience firsthand. Probably because I've been especially inactive since the start of the pandemic, it was more difficult than I expected to scale the mountain with its steep inclines and the added challenge of wearing a mask while exercising. The 22k steps... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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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
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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
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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
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Tohato Tsumamel Deep Cheese Puffs: Tohato caramel corn (and it's other sweet seasonal flavors) always stand out on the shelves with their cute packaging. I've tried a few flavors both in the states and in Japan, but I recently learned there's a savory line of flavors called Tsumamel, which includes flavors like corn potage, fried chicken, and this deep cheese flavor. The curled corn puffs are like miniature Jaxx cheese snacks you can get in America, but this cheese powder is a combination of both cheddar and Camembert. You c... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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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
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