Kamakura Gelato Soymilk gelato: I went on a day trip to Kamakura, a city about an hour south of Tokyo, to visit several temples, and when it started raining, I ducked into a gelato shop that many Japanese people appeared to be enjoying, a short walk from the Hasedera temple. A scoop of soymilk gelato was a little over $3 USD and had a deep roasted flavor and dark beige color. The texture was smooth, the flavor more light than creamy. They had a lot of other entiching flavors I wish I could try, but a single cup was just ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended gelato japanese kamakura kamakuragelato soymilk 4.0
Tohato All Osatsu Sweet Potato Cookies: A classic snack in Japan is yakiimo, purple Japanese sweet potatoes roasted over hot stones and served from street carts. This beloved snack makes its way into seasonal flavors of grocery store products, including biscuits, cookies, and even ice cream (I've seen Haagan Dazs sweet potato ice cream, for example). These cookies from Tohato are almost like mini pies, with a glazed puffed crust and chewy interior containing bits of roasted sweet potato flavored with honey. The bag contains indivi... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese cookies aeon tohato all osatsu sweet potato 3.5
Otsuka Match Jelly: Match Jelly is a popular citrus soda that's the color of electric yellow Gatorade and is similarly fortified with "nutrition" like Vitamin B6, Niacin, and Vitamin C. I haven't actually had Match soda before, but it's a standard vending machine staple. While vending machines have full-sized bottles, they also usually have a small selection of half-size containers, which I like to buy when I'm thirsty but not wanting more than a single serving. I purchased this "jelly" version of Match f... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks japanese vendingmachine otsuka match jelly 4.0
Morinaga Mango yogurt with aloe cubes: Pieces of aloe in creamy yogurt did not seem appealing to me when I first moved to Japan, but now having it for breakfast or a small snack feels like a daily routine. Generally, the Morinaga yogurt is runny and has a slightly tart flavor, and the cubes of aloe add a burst of juicy sweetness. The aloe yogurts come in a variety of fruit flavors a nd have bits of fruit inside on top of the aloe; the mango version is a nice tropical treat. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese morinaga mango yogurt aloe cubes 3.5
Kabaya Pureral Pear Gummies: This Japanese gummy features an unexpected cross between a marshmallow and gummy candy. Each cube has a fluffy texture and is embedded with fruit gummy flavor and texture, providing two different levels of chewiness. I haven't had anything quite like it and enjoyed it overall. The flavor reminds me of a very concentrated ramune, or like those popular individually-wrapped hemispherical fruit gummies from Japan that are ubiquitous in Chinese grocery stores. Purchased from Lawson. 3.5/5.0
recommended candy japanese kabaya pureral pear gummies 3.5
Asahi Mitsuya Apple Cider Soda: This Japanese apple soda tastes really similar to one of my favorite Taiwanese sodas, Apple Sidra. It has a crisp and refreshing apple juice flavor, is well carbonated, cheap, and readily available at convenience stores. Solid staple. 3.5/5.0
recommended sodas japanese asahi mitsuya apple cider soda 3.5