7 Best Japanese Snacks Not Sold In The US
I went to both Hashi Market (on 39th and 6th) and Sunrise Mart (on 41st and 5th) in Manhattan, ordering a wide range of snacks from each place. Let's get started!
I recently learned that there are over 300 (!) different Kit Kat flavors, and a lot of them are exclusive to only Japan. The first store I went to had several different flavors, like matcha, strawberry, Mont Blanc, and milk tea. I landed on the Chocolate Orange Kit Kats because I didn't even know this flavor existed. Here's what the packaging looks like:
What it is: A milk-chocolate-covered wafer bar with a refreshing orange tastePrice: $6.99
It's wild to me that these Chocolate Orange Kit Kats were both smaller and darker than plain Kit Kats from the US (photographed below). I have no idea if that's typical of all Japanese Kit Kats or just this particular flavor, but, wow, the taste itself was spot on. The orange fruit flavor was refreshing without being overpowering, and I could easily see myself eating dozens of them in one sitting. I don't know why I expected the Chocolate Orange Kit Kats to actually be orange, but maybe that's because the strawberry-flavored ones are pink. If I could only choose between this new Kit Kat flavor and the plain version from the US, I'd absolutely pick Japan's Chocolate Orange. No notes.
Japan is no stranger to innovative and intriguing flavors. As a massive chip fan, these BBQ Beef Corn Sticks from Koikeya instantly caught my eye. To be clear, though, Japan's BBQ seasonings and the US's BBQ seasonings are VERY different. Like, BBQ chips in the US are smoky and savory but don't actually taste like real barbecue. These corn sticks from Japan, though, actually replicated the flavor of juicy grilled beef.
What it is: Crispy corn sticks that are flavored with grilled beef and a Japanese-style saucePrice: $3.69
Though these corn chips are shaped like Cheetos, they're actually much softer, which I really appreciated. The best texture comparison I can think of is Andy Capp's Hot Fries (a childhood staple in my house while growing up). These corn sticks are coated in a soy sauce powder that really adds to the overall flavor and saltiness. They don't actually smell like beef, and the taste moreso resembles the juices from beef rather than an actual slab of meat (which, hey, I'm not mad about!). There was a tiny onion aftertaste as well, sort of like French's crispy onions that you'd add to the top of green bean casserole. I probably could have eaten the entire bag in one sitting, and I wish more US snacks would experiment with interesting flavors like this.
The packaging on Nobel's Marshmallow Cocoa Candy looked so warm and cozy and unlike anything we have in the US, so I had to try them. Like, who wouldn't want a bite-size cup of hot cocoa?
What it is: Hard candies with a cocoa flavor and a softer, marshmallow-like centerPrice: $3.19
These hard candies looked like chocolate-flavored Gushers. They were supposed to taste like hot cocoa, but to me they sort of tasted like a better version of a Tootsie Roll (a candy I'm not particularly a fan of). I found them to be pretty one-note. Each candy's center is a little softer than its outside, which is supposed to represent the marshmallow in a cup of hot cocoa. That flavor did come across, but the consistency felt off to me. Like, the center's texture was similar to that of a hard caramel (rather than something softer or even fluffier, as the packaging suggested). I'm a big fan of regular hot cocoa with marshmallows, but I'd only rate this candy a 5/10.
The next candy I tried was Fettuccine Gummi. Think of these as semi-sour gummy worms, only they're shaped like fettuccine noodles. Out of all the pastas in the world, I have no idea why Japan decided to model these off of fettuccine, but, hey, here we are. Also, to be clear, the packaging says these are bourbon-flavored gummies, so I assumed they would taste like the alcoholic beverage. In reality, they're bourbon ~cola~ gummies, so they taste more like a Coca-Cola.
What it is: Chewy cola-flavored gummies in the shape of fettuccine noodlesPrice: $2.99
The store also had grape and lemon Fettuccine Gummi flavors, but I wanted to try something a little more unique. Packaging-wise, I love that these had a resealable top. Japan really is living in the year 2085 or something – like, the US is so behind. Taste-wise, though, this was unlike any other candy I've tried before. The sweet yet sour coating made it seem like each piece of candy was actually fizzing in my mouth. It was super enjoyable, and the flavor wasn't overpowering at all. Sneaking a package of these into a movie theater would cure me. I can't wait to try every other flavor that exists.
Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of my favorite "treat yourself" snacks, so I was thrilled to try Yuraku's Strawberry Thunder Chocolate Mini Bars. These are basically Kit Kat-shaped rice bars with crunchy strawberry pieces on top and a chocolate coating on the bottom.
What it is: Tiny rice bars that are half-coated in chocolate and have crunchy strawberry chips mixed inPrice: $5.99
First of all, the strawberry scent on these candies was STRONG. Even though they were individually wrapped, I could smell them the second I tore open the bag. However, I was a little disappointed with their flavor. These reminded me of those discontinued cereal bars from a few decades ago, where the milk (i.e. frosting) was mixed in. I found these Thunder Bars to be way too sweet, and even though they smelled of strawberries, I didn't actually get much of a strawberry taste. It was as if someone poured a glob of white chocolate over some Kellogg's cereal – all of the components were technically there, but it just felt off and too artificial to work. Some of my coworkers really loved these though!
Next up was UHA's Mitsu Kinako, which are hard candies that combine the flavor of kinako (roasted soybean flour) with kuromitsu (black sugar syrup). Kinako is heavily used in Japanese cuisine and especially in their desserts, like dango (aka those sweet, round dumplings) or as a topping on mochi. I'd never seen a flavor combo like this in the US, so I truly had no idea what to expect.
What it is: Hard candies with a black syrup coating and a soybean-flavored centerPrice: $2.39
This candy looked super similar to the Marshmallow Cocoa Candy I tried above. I wouldn't say the Mitsu Kinako was sweet, but it also wasn't bitter either. It almost tasted a little like burnt coffee to me, and the brown sugar really came through. The center filling was also interesting because, rather than being soft and chewy, it felt more like a paste in my mouth. Overall, this candy kinda tasted like the ingredients of something that should go into a dessert, not the end result of a full dessert itself.
My last snack actually ended up being my favorite. Nobel's Super Lemons are sour candies that put Warheads to shame. Also, the pop art-style packaging is STUNNING. Like, they should actually sell this as wrapping paper.
What it is: Spherical hard candies with a sour powder coating that ultimately turns sweetPrice: $3.99
Each candy is a perfect sphere that's coated in a white sour powder. I was immediately shocked at how sour this one actually got (as evidenced by my reaction in the bottom-right pic). On average, that sourness lasts for about 13 seconds (yes, I timed it), and then it turns into a sweeter lemon hard candy to suck on. I do think the sourness of a Warhead lasts a little longer, but it's definitely not as strong. If I had to choose between the two candies then I'd definitely pick Super Lemons over and over and over again. This was the biggest winner of the day in my book.
Are there any other foods you want to see me try next? Feel free to share them in the comments!
And check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May, so follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
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