Food takes a special place in Japanese culture; it’s much more than just the stuff that gives us energy and nutrients.
Luckily, with the invention of the internet the world has become a smaller place. Instead of traveling all the way to Japan, you can use Amazon to get ahold of some unique Japanese snacks. This is the website where you can find literally thousands of different food items, which can be a bit confusing.
And some of those snacks could seem weird to say the least. For example, for a Westerner, a combo of fish and candy does not seem too mouth-watering. But, in Japan, you can buy a sushi Kit-Kat! To spare you the trouble of going through a huge number of offers, we’ve decided to give provide you with a list of the ten best Japanese snacks you can buy on Amazon.
These snacks are strange and interesting, but their taste won’t make you cringe. In fact, we’re sure you’re going to love their taste. So, let’s start with the number one, Mochi which is a truly iconic Japanese snack.
1. Mochi
Everyone who’s been in Japan knows about Mochi. This is a treat that you can find literally everywhere – in supermarkets, restaurants, and even pubs. The reason why Mochi is so popular is that its taste is pretty awesome. It’s basically rice dumplings filled with a paste made of sweet beans.
2. Arare
You’re usually served peanuts with a beer in bars in the US. But, in Japan, they prefer Arare. The main ingredients of the snack are rice and soy sauce, which make it pretty savory. If you’re going to order it on Amazon, our advice is to order a large amount. Once you start munching on these snacks, you just can’t stop.
3. Senbei
Similar to Arare, Senbei are also crackers made of rice. What makes them different (and perhaps superior to Arare) is that they’re available in hundreds of different flavors. This is a great opportunity for you to go on a culinary adventure by trying flavor combinations you’ve never dreamt of.
4. Kaki No Tane
Here’s another type of rice crackers that are commonly eaten as bar snacks. They’re as equally addictive as Arare, the only difference being that Kaki No Tane crackers are much spicier.
5. Kinoko No Yama
Even though the name of this sweet translates to “mushroom mountain”, Kinoko No Yama has nothing to do with mushrooms. At least not when it comes to the ingredients. But, the appearance does slightly resemble a mushroom. But, enough about the appearance; what really makes Kinoko No Yama popular in Japan is its taste. And it really doesn’t matter which flavor you pick – strawberry, cream, chocolate – they all taste awesome.
6. Pretz
If you love stick snacks found in your local markets, but you find them a little bit boring, Pretz is the snack you need to remember. These snacks are available in all sorts of flavors, which change all the time. Right now, you can shop for flavors like pizza, tomato, cheese, while in the past, Pretz was available in some pretty unconventional flavors as well, e.g. Larb salad.
7. Pocky
If you’re new to Japanese cuisine, you may not wish to experiment with extravagant snacks such as Larb salad Pretz. Instead, you may wish to start off your Japanese snack adventure with something more conventional. If that is the case, Pocky cookie sticks might be your best choice. There’s available in a variety of flavors, all of which taste pretty decent.
8. Jagarico
It’s obvious that the Japanese are crazy about stick snacks, but if you thought all of those were rice-based, you were wrong. Here’s one that’s made of potato.
9. Umaibo
The name of the snack translates to English as “delicious stick”. We say well done for choosing an appropriate name because these corn puffs really do taste delicious.
10. Japanese Kit Kat
You can buy Kit Kat almost anywhere in the world, but Kit Kat that’s made in Japan comes in the flavors you couldn’t have thought of in your wildest imagination. How does a ginger ale Kit Kat sound? Or Watermelon Kit Kat? Still not extreme enough for you? What about sushi-flavored Kit Kat? Or if you’re going to push yourself to the limit, why not try the one flavored with Wasabi?
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