Koikeya Roasted Shrimp and Garlic Corn Snacks: Shaped like crunchy Cheetos, these corn sticks are heavily seasoned with a roasted seafood flavor that's both salty and sweet. Like an amped up version of Shrimp Chips, with the same level of saturated flavor as a Frito Lay's snack but distinctively Asian with its use of shellfish in junk food. Purchased at Inegaya. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese koikeya roasted shrimp garlic corn snacks 3.5
Calbee Umami Seaweed JagaRico: I used to buy the original JagaRico snack in Japan all the time – it has a solid French Fry flavor and snackable form factor that made it a dependable junk food to get from convenience stores. I hadn’t seen the umami seaweed flavor in Japan but came across it at a local Daiso. The already savory flavor of the potato sticks benefits from the flecks of seaweed and make me think that nori-dusted french fries would not be a bad idea. 3.5/5.0
recommended daiso japanese calbee umami seaweed jagarico 3.5
Indigo Cow Hokkaido Milk soft serve with shiratama kuromitsu kinako: I haven't experienced many long lines in Seattle, but Indigo Cow, a soft-serve "window" adjacent to the Japanese restaurant Yoroshiku in Wallingford, had an impressive showing for their Hokkaido milk treat. The line took about 40 minutes, even right after an afternoon shower, and unfortunately they were out of mochi for their classic Japanese topping (which normally comes with soybean powder and brown sugar syrup) by the time I got to the front of the line. The humble shop is literally one... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended wallingford japanese indigocow hokkaido milk soft serve shiratama kuromitsu kinako 3.5
Kitkat Matcha Kitkat: I’ve probably had surprisingly few KitKats in Japan despite it being the dominant market for unique seasonal flavors, so I’m always grateful when they are gifted to me and I have an excuse to try one I haven’t had before. The matcha KitKat has a waxy coating that seems like it’s probably white chocolate based, rather than milk chocolate. The flavor was more nuanced than I expected - not just a standard matcha-flavor taste but a little more bitter than the typical. I think my overall take on... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended candy japanese kitkat matcha 3.5
Calbee Sukiyaki JagaRico: I love the crunchy Japanese potato snack JagaRico, which is a staple in any convenience store and comes in many different flavors. I hadn't seen the Sukiyaki one before, though, and found it especially addictive. It has a meaty, roasted flavor reminiscent of soy and shiitake, inspired by the hot pot dish typically consisting of sliced beef, mushrooms, onions, and other vegetables. JagaRico more generally is a nice option when you're looking for a potato snack with more bite than a crispy po... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese potato calbee sukiyaki jagarico 3.5