Ivy's Travel: Snacks To Buy in Japan

Since I am still working through hundreds of pictures from my Japan trip, let's start with something less editing stressful. I bought quite many snacks to bring home though of course, there are many many other snacks that I didn't buy. I'm going to show you only what snacks I bought, where to buy and whether they are recommended or not. And no, I'm not crazy, most of them were for my family, my nieces, nephews and friends, they were not all for me. 

Disclaimer: 

- I listed the places that I know are selling these, but it doesn't mean they are only sold on the places I mentioned.

- Most of Japan souvenir shops are tax free so remember to bring your passport when you shop, because to get the tax free, you need to show them your passport. The minimum purchase to get tax free in each shops are vary, but many of them are within 5000 Yen. It is recommended to purchase in one place to reach that minimum amount. 

1. TOKYO BANANA   

Tokyo Banana is the most popular snacks in Japan. If you have no idea what it is, Tokyo banana is a light and fluffy sponge cake with cream filling. It started with the original flavor, which is banana cream, but now due to the popularity, they have various other choices such as maple, chocolate banana, caramel custard, they even have the brownies, biscuits and baumkuchen types now, not only the cakes. The pricing starts from 4pcs at 468 Yen to 16pcs at 2057 Yen. For complete flavors and price, click here. 

Personally, I am not too fond into Tokyo Banana. I mean, they are good, the cake like every Japanese cake was light, soft and fluffy, but to me, nothing really special so I didn't buy any for myself. I bought 4 boxes but they were all for friends and family. Still, if you never try one, it's mandatory to do so. 

Where to buy?

You can buy Tokyo Banana at Tokyo station, Haneda airport, Narita airport and Tokyo Sky Tree. We bought ours at Tokyo station, and they don't have the caramel custard and banana chocolate flavors there. The sales person told us the specific flavors only available at Tokyo Sky Tree, but I remember I saw them at souvenir shop in Haneda airport too. 

2. JAPANESE KIT KAT and POCKY

 

You simply have to purchase some Kit Kats and Pocky, not only because they are so sinfully tasty, but because only in Japan you'll find exclusively Japan available flavors like wasabi, strawberry cheese cake for Kit Kat, or tons of flavors of Pocky shown in the picture above.

I am a sucker for Pocky, so I love them all but I don't like the giant ones with all those fruit flavors. I bought them at around 1000 Yen (IDR 128.000,-) per pack at Little Osaka Dotonburi, at Haneda only 800 Yen. It all comes down to preferences, but I personally like the normal size pocky better. 

Where to buy?
Giant Pocky at Haneda airport and Little Osaka Dotonburi.
Normal size pocky at Don Quijote and Tokyo Station.
Kit Kat at Tokyo station, Japan tax free shop, Amaya Yokocho.

Litte Osaka - Dotonburi

Okashi Land - Tokyo Station

Ameya Yokocho - Tokyo

3. CALBEE and JAGA POKKURU

  

As a potato person and not really a sweet tooth, I am always leaning towards more to savory snacks rather than sweet ones. None of the Calbee's I purchased that I don't like, but my favorites are the Jaga Crispy, Jaga Pokkuru (800 Yen) and the Big bag chips. Do consider the expiry date, Calbee's products all comes with short expiry, normally 3 months since manufacture date, so don't buy too much unless you sure you can finish them before the expiry date. I ended threw away some of mine since I bought too much and I'm not really the type of person that snacks on daily basis.

Note: I think Jaga Pokkuru can only be found at Tokyo's Airport, either Narita or Haneda.

Where to buy?
All Calbee's products at Calbee store Tokyo station. Jaga Pokkuru at Haneda airport.

Calbee - Tokyo Station 

4. ROYCE CHOCOLATE

My favorite purchase. Royce is very cheap in Japan compare to the price in Jakarta. Their Nama chocolate is only 760 Yen (IDR 98.000,-) if I remember correctly, in Jakarta the price is IDR 225.000,- per box. Too bad they can only hold about 6-7 hours outside refrigerator, you can ask them to pack it with dry ice, but since we took Cathay Pacific and transit in HK, we cannot bring these babies home. We only buy the potato chips 720 Yen, and they are soooo gooood! 

Where to buy? 

Haneda Airport.

5. JAPANESE INSTANT NOODLES

I love Japanese instant noodles. If I could I would bring home the udon and Nissin tomato too, but no luggage space so I limit to only Ippudo and Ichiran instant ramen. Now, I didn't buy Ichiran in Japan. As this post written, Ichiran instant ramen is only available for sale in their outlets in Fukuoka and Hong Kong. 

If you ask me, Ichiran one is a disappointment. Didn't come with pork slices, no condiments at all. Flavor wise is good, flavorful broth, but nothing like the real one. I'd choose Ippudo instant ramen better. It comes with 1 slice of char su and flavor wise is tastier than Ichiran. 

 Ichiran Instant Ramen (Condiments aren't coming from the package)

 

I'll update you what Ippudo's look like next time since I am limiting myself from having too many of instant noodles.

Where to buy?
Ichiran instant ramen at Ichiran Ramen's outlet in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Ippudo instant ramen at 7- Eleven (Find bigger outlets as not all of them sold this).

6.JAPANESE MOCHI

Japan is famous for its chewy soft mochi. I had the fresh made Daifuku mochi at Kuromon market Osaka and until now still thinking about it. Too bad I didn't find any packaging ones of the Daifuku mochi. I bought two of these mochi at Amaya Yokocho and regretted it. I will suggest you to buy the mochi at airport. I saw many better mochi selections at Haneda.

7. BIG SIZE COLLON

Collon is something that always remind me of my child hood. It was my favorite snacks during my child hood, but I only like the vanilla one. Since it is easy to find Collon here in Jakarta, I didn't buy any of them to bring home, but Hubs bought these two giant collon in chocolate flavors for his nephews. The price is around 1100 Yen. They also comes in blueberry, vanilla, blackcurrant and matcha.

Where to buy?
Calbee+ at Tokyo Station.

8. GLICO ALMOND CHOCOLATE, RICE CRACKERS, CHIPS, ETC

And many other snacks that I can't review one by one, but you got to buy Glico's almond chocolates. Damn good one. Available at any supermarket or Japan tax free shops. 

Japan Tax Free Shops

9. NON SNACKS ITEMS AT JAPAN DRUG STORES, TAX FREE SHOPS or DON QUIJOTE

Many people go to Japan and buy tons of skin cares. I don't really do heavy make up and I learned my lesson from our previous Korea trip. When we went to Seoul, I bought tons of skin cares, literally, I bought like so many and ended to not using almost all of them and they all wasted to garbage. So, I've learned my lesson this time to not buy any skin care unless the ones that I do use. When I saw that SK-II is not exactly cheap in Japan, I only bought two packs of Lululun face masks, eye liners since I can't live without them and Hada Labo toner which I regretted to only buy 1 bottle, the toner is crazily good and affordable. I also bought these packs of down fever patches for my baby nephew, not that I wish him to get fever, but precaution is better right? Oh if you have kids or nephews nieces you like to spoiled, there is a toy store in Ginza, Hakuhinkan, you should check. It is 5 storey with many choices of toys to purchase, that's where I bought toys for my nephew.

Don Quijote

Anyway, Thank you for reading!

*Based on currency rate 1 Yen = 128 Rupiah