Gari Gari Kun Kyushu Mikan mandarin orange popsicle : I am a fan of Kumamon, a popular black bear mascot representing Kumamoto prefecture in Japan. He's kind of everywhere, so I wasn't surprised to find him on ice cream packaging for this mandarin flavored popsicle with citrus from Kyushu . The rectangular ice brick reminds me of Sunkist, with a tangy slightly too-concentrated-to-be-natural orange flavor, though it is enjoyable for what it is. Purchased from Family Mart. 3.0/5.0
familymart japanese garigarikun kyushu mikan mandarin orange popsicle 3.0
Gilca Cheeze Camembert Crackers: These crackers are made from a mix of cheddar and Camembert, producing a sharply flavored crisp with just a bit of funk. The wedge-shaped crackers have holes in them, like a cuter version of the Swiss Cheese Flavor Original crackers (from Nabisco). Comes in a very small pack with just a couple servings. 3.0/5.0
cheese japanese gilca cheeze camembert crackers 3.0
Ginza Akebono Strawberry Daifuku: For the most part, I've been able to try all the major traditional Japanese confectionary treats in my time in Japan, so I generally haven't been going out of my way to visit particular shops. However, if I see that a shop has a line, I'll take a look, especially as there are essentially no tourists in Tokyo now and so any place with a line is a local favorite. I hadn't known about this small shop in Ginza that opened right after WWII (about 60 years old), but their ichigo (strawberry) dai... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional tokyo mochi ginza japanese ginzaakebono strawberry daifuku 4.0
Ginza Akebono Sakura Mochi: The first time I had sakura mochi, pink mochi wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf, it was from Fugetsu-Do in Los Angeles, I was surprised by the sweet and savory combination. The leaf is typically pickled and has a concentrated salty flavor that can catch you off guard if you're used to the mild and sweet anko-filled dessert. This version of sakura mochi was purchased from the Ginza sweets shop Ginza Akebono, where I had previously tried their strawberry-covered mochi. The chewiness of the m... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese ginza tokyo ginzaakebono sakura mochi 3.5
Ginza Ginger Kiwi ginger kakigori: Ginza Ginger is a kakigori shaved ice shop in downtown Ginza. They specialize in ginger-milk-flavored syrups that are served alongside fruit computer that you add to the shaved ice to your taste. I shared the kiwi kakigori (I think it would be too much to eat on your own and could possibly serve 3-4 people even). It came in an impressive mound with the ginger syrup already added and a small jar of kiwi fruit compote. The shaved ice was airy and light and impressively held its texture until ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese shavedice dessert ginza fruit ginzaginger kiwi ginger kakigori 4.0
Ginza Tokyo Sugar Butter Sand Tree cookies: Japanese sandwich cookies with a dense, crunchy exterior (somewhat flaky when you bite through it) and a cloyingly sweet icing in the middle reminiscent of cereal milk. Nice packaging, but disappointing flavor. 2.5/5.0
japanese cookie sugarbuttersandtree 2.5 foreign ginzatokyo sugar butter sand tree cookies