YBC Aerial Roe Butter Flavored Chips: It is very rare for me to come across a snack that is fundamentally different than any I've had before, and this fried Japanese corn snack is one of them. I found it at Weica, sort of like a CVS, which has an impressive stock of junk food. These chips consist of multiple crispy layers, each uniquely shaped probably due to the irregularity of the manufacturing process. Each square is about the size of a Wheat Thin in area. The separated layers gives it a light crispy texture unlike any sn... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended weica japanese junkfood yamazakibiscuitsco aerial roe butter flavored chips 4.0 ybc
Tsukishimaya Imagawayaki waffle dessert: In my neighborhood in Tokyo, there's a very small to-go stall selling a traditional Japanese dessert called Imagawayaki, which is a wheel-shaped waffle/pancake with red-bean filling. Here, you can purchase a custard version as well, each for just over a dollar, and they're made fresh right in front of you with a heavy-duty cast-iron mold. I really enjoyed the crispy coating and slightly chewy interior. The pancake itself had a nice wheat flavor, which was pleasantly surprising because I e... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended desserts azabujuban japanese tsukishimaya imagawayaki waffle dessert 4.0
Dydo Purush Jelly Sparkling Flavored Grape Soda: This is a very unique drink that you need to shake in advance of opening to break up its gelatinous filling. It contains a mix of "jelly," which has been carbonated so there's no risk of having overly-pressurized soda explode upon opening the can, as well as coconut jelly (Nata de Coco). It tastes like Fanta grape soda, so very sweet, but I really liked the mix of softer jelly and chewy coconut cubes, and the grape flavor is also quite nostalgic for me. Purchased from a vending machine. 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese junkfood drinks soda dydo purush jelly sparkling flavored grape 4.0
Kellogg's New Ontani Cereal: There are a few familiar American brands of cereal in Japan, but their offerings are slightly different. This cereal was made in collaboration with the chef at a famous hotel in Tokyo called The New Otani. It consists of 1/2 flakes and 1/2 granola, almost like muesli without the oats, and contains ingredients like sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, and puffed amaranth. It has a honey flavor that's reminiscent of Honey Bunches of Oats. Definitely sweet, but as sweet as American breakfast cere... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended cereal japanese kelloggs new ontani 3.5
Pocky Melon Pocky: I purchased this special packaged Pocky from Tsutaya Books in Meguro. The familiar biscuit sticks are coated in a waxy orange cantaloupe-flavored icing that tastes like melon candy. Very concentrated flavor and quite sweet, but I did enjoy it. One of the better melon-flavored snacks I've had. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese pocky melon 3.5
Cheerio Melon Cream Soda: Got this bottle from a 100 ¥ vending machine in Tokyo. The flavor is sort of like a fruit-equivalent of Mountain Dew in that the sugar and flavor concentration is shocking, but I actually kind of like it. It strikes a really good balance of fruity and creamy and does taste like (an extremely sweet) version of a fruit soda float. In that way, it's exactly as advertised. But I can't drink much of it in a single sitting because it's so sweet. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks japanese vendingmachine cheerio melon cream soda 3.5