There is no doubt that Japanese snacks are extremely popular across the world, thanks to a unique blend of eccentricity and odd taste combinations. You might be confused about the dizzying array of Japanese sweets, chips, chocolate, and other snacks available on the market, but we have done the legwork for you. Janbox has put up a list of 20 of the best Japanese snacks. So be ready to dive into the world of Japanese delicacies!
1. Top 20 of the best Japanese snacks to devour
1.1. Wasabi Beef Chips
Crips are typically the first thing that hungry hands grab when they are seeking something salty. Enjoy a bag of wasabi beef chips, which are inspired by roast beef with horseradish on top. Allow the wasabi’s sting to flood your nostrils while you savor the robust, meaty, umami-rich flavor.
1.2. Calbee Chips
Calbee Japan goods account for about half of the chip aisle in Japanese stores, so learn to know them! Calbee potato chips come in a variety of tastes, including gently salted, Shiawase “fortune” butter, consomme punch, soy sauce mayo, seaweed salt, and a variety of regional soy sauces. Even if you are not familiar with Japanese tastes, Calbee chips are a good, safe option.
1.3. Aerial Cheese Corn Snack
If you are searching for something different to try, Nabisco’s pyramid-shaped, crispy cheese nibbles might do the trick! Aerial snacks are cheesy, crispy, and light maize snacks that are not afraid to show off their taste. Each of the snack’s four layers has a cheddar cheese covering that releases a strong taste as you chew.
1.4. Himemaru Rice Crackers
These rice crackers are deep-fried, delightfully crispy, and seasoned with a thick soy sauce coating, unlike conventional hard Senbei, which are simply grilled rice cakes. Sure, the carb and fat content may make you cringe, but they are tasty and go nicely with green tea or a cocktail. The multicolored packaging is inspired by the colors of a kabuki theater curtain, making them an immediately recognizable snack.
>> See more: Top 20 best Japanese candy to devour
1.5. Happy Turn Rice Cakes
Happy Turn rice Cakes are crisp rice crackers dusted with a substantial amount of an irresistible sweet and salty soy sauce-based powder. They are a snack you will want to have on hand. While the powdered coating makes them a messy snack, there is no denying that the flavor is irresistible to kids.
1.6. Tohato Caramel Corn Chips
Caramel Corn Chips are coiled corn puffs that are crunchy, light, and oh-so-sweet, and they are a classic delicacy that both parents and kids enjoy. The peanut bits generally sink to the bottom of the bag, where they can be enjoyed with the caramel corn dust that remains.
1.7. Bakauke Senbei Pack
Bakauke rice crackers are a variety of rice crackers that the whole family will enjoy. They are from Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, which is known for its rice cultivation. The light and airy seaweed and soy sauce, corn soup, cheese, curry crackers; and deep-fried and crunchy sesame soy sauce crackers are among the five enticing tastes and two textures.
1.8. Melon Pan
When you enter a Japanese convenience shop for the first time, you will see a shelf or two lined with individually wrapped lumps of yellow bread. The melon pan is as follows: 100 delicious, delicately sugar-coated yellow bread chunks. Melon pans are available in a number of flavors, including chocolate, strawberry, matcha, and more; they may also be split in half and filled with cream like a huge, soft scone.
While they are available at every convenience shop, they are also available at Japanese bakeries, where they are at their softest, sweetest, and most fresh. The Portuguese-inspired melon pan is a classic among Japanese snacks: simple yet addicting, healthy, inexpensive, and tempting.
1.9. Kabukiage Rice Crackers
Rice crackers are another classic Japanese food that is enjoyed all over the world. Rice crackers are sold by brands in Korea, Taiwan, and China, and they may also be found in European shops as a lighter, healthier alternative to greasy crisps/potato chips. The most popular and, by far, the best of the group are Kabukiage Rice Crackers. They come in transparent packages of bite-sized nibbles and are deliciously decadent, despite their relative health when compared to other Japanese delicacies.
These rice crackers with soy sauce and red pepper taste are delicious and spicy. Rice Crackers with Uma Kara Spicy is true to its name, named after the classic Japanese dance-drama kabuki. This popular Japanese snack is praised by Bokksu members for its “crunchiness element,” “good spice,” and “great taste.” We like how spicy this snack is without being too hot.
1.10. Seaweed Tempura
Tempura is a famous Japanese dish not only in Japan but across the world. Tempura is just fresh veggies deep fried in batter and served with a dipping sauce like many Japanese meals have been inspired by Portuguese cuisine. Seaweed Tempura is not a single brand; rather, it is a type of cuisine sold by a variety of Japanese companies.
Except the concept is the same: a bag of salty crisps/potato chips, but instead of potatoes, they are made of fried, salty, crispy seaweed. They are also really tasty. From sushi to onigiri, seaweed (nori) is frequently used with rice in Japan. Nori is great on its own, so why not convert it into a delicious little snack?
1.11. Arare Rice Snacks
Arare refers to a group of rice snacks and crackers that are considered to pair well with beverages. Hineri-Age, an incredibly crispy twisted fry sprinkled with savory powder, and Ponsuke, thick cubes of a sweet-and-salty herbal taste, are two of many people’s favorite types. But, to be honest, any Rare is a good choice!
1.12. Mike Popcorn
Unsurprisingly, Japan has managed to improve upon an already excellent snack. Mike’s Popcorn, Japan’s most well-known popcorn brand, frequently provides limited-time varieties such as salted shrimp and milk tea. The popcorn is light and airy, and the typical soy sauce butter taste is always a hit!
1.13. Agemochi
Janbox’s most recent discovery in the realm of traditional and famous Japanese snacks is Agemochi or deep-fried mochi bites. These tasty seasoned mochi bits crunch at first, then melt in your tongue. If you want to try mochi in a new way, look for Agemochi in the traditional snack section!
1.14. Sucorn
Looking for a crispy Cheetos alternative in Japan? Sucorn is ready to satiate your cravings with seafood, barbecue, and Quattro cheese tastes. You could also discover sweet Sucorn flavors on the opposite side of the snack aisle; the salted caramel, in particular, is the top Japanese snack type!
1.15. Calbee Jagariko
When it comes to potato chips in Japan, it is all about Calbee Jagariko, a popular choice among both Japanese and tourists. They come in compact packets and are ideal for satisfying hunger in the hours between studying or working. Or just when you are in the mood for some delicious potato chips. And how could it be otherwise when there are so many distinct flavors in Japan? The good Japanese snacks are the ones that have a cheese taste!
>> See more: What is Mochi? A Complete Guide About Japanese Mochi
1.16. Tohato Chocobi Crayon Shinchan
You have probably heard of these cookies because they are the ones that Shin-Chan, the famous Japanese youngster, enjoys. In truth, they are just regular chocolate cookies with a star shape, but they have become so popular that you can now find them in any Japanese store. You may now order them online as well!
1.17. Potato Chips: Hokkaido Rich Butter
The delicious taste of these baked potato chips absolutely impressed us. The inclusion of real Hokkaido butter in this snack speaks volumes about Hokkaido’s high-quality dairy products. These delicious, crunchy chips will undoubtedly become a Japanese snacks fan favorite.
1.18. Imokari Cube
This snack, which is prepared from cubed, fried sweet potatoes, appears easy enough, but it is a genuine delight. Open a bag and savor the crunch and flavor of Imokari Cube, which is made from real, natural sweet potatoes. Imokari Cube snack has a great combination of sweet and salty tastes, as well as a beautiful cube-like form.
1.19. Osaka Beni Shoga Ginger Tempura Potato Chips
This potato chip is based on Osaka’s Beni Shoga, or red pickled ginger snack, which is tempura battered and fried to create a one-of-a-kind delicacy. The salty and sour tastes of Osaka Beni Shoga Ginger Tempura Potato Chips are balanced by the natural heat of ginger. Without being oily, these thin, crunchy chips explode with crave-worthy flavors. We cannot get enough of these chips, and Bokksu members rave about their “superb crunch” and ginger taste.
1.20. Chicago Pizza Flavor Cheetos
We all know that Cheetos are an American snack, but they’ve taken on a life of their own in Japan. They routinely offer unique tastes from Japan that you will not get anywhere else. Chicago Pizza, Prosciutto and Cream Cheese, and Spicy Chicken Wings Cheetos are currently available on store shelves.
Chicago-style pizza has grown in popularity in Japan over the last several years, so it’s no surprise that snack producers have taken notice. The Chicago Pizza taste features a moderate cheese flavor as well as a cheesy, somewhat spicy fragrance. However, the pizza foundation – tomato – has an overwhelming flavor. There is also a distinct pepperoni flavor.
2. Where to buy Japanese snacks online?
All of the Japanese snacks described so far, as well as a plethora of others, maybe discovered and purchased in a number of locations, including shops and online. Let’s look at some of the several ways you may get your hands on all of these best Japanese snacks online, regardless of where you are in the world.
Snacks from Japan Online shopping is the most apparent option, particularly if you are not in Japan. After all, you can buy almost anything on the internet. More specifically, there are several websites where you may buy and import the most popular Japanese snacks. The first, easiest, and most enjoyable method is to use a Japanese snack crate. A Japan snack crate is a monthly subscription box that delivers a bundle of Japanese snacks to your home (many of which we are already great fans and subscribers of).
Japan Crate, Doki Doki Crate, Umai Crate, Kira Kira Crate, Gacha Gacha Crate, and Inku Crate are some of Japan Crate’s goods. Sugoi Mart, Japan Crate’s online store, now allows you to explore specific Japanese items. Tokyo, Japan, and Los Angeles, California are the headquarters of Japan Crate. The privately held firm was started in 2014 and has since expanded to provide a variety of crates to a global clientele.
In addition, Bokksu is without a doubt the largest and finest Japanese snack box. Bokksu is a monthly subscription service that ships from Osaka, Japan, with free international delivery. Each month, you’ll receive a fresh assortment of Japanese snacks selected from all around Japan and packed together for your delight.
Each month’s box is themed around a different region of Japan – each with its own unique snacks – or a matsuri (holiday) when particular foods are customarily consumed.
If you do not want to subscribe to a Japan snack crate, companies like Blippo Kawaii Shop and Japan Candy Store allow you to pick and choose the Japanese snacks you desire. Both of these websites provide a large range of the best Japanese snacks and ship them globally.
While both of these websites cater to sweet tooths (the majority of their snacks are candies, cookies, and chocolates), they also organize their snacks into unique categories. You may specify a certain themed confectionery (for example, Hello Kitty biscuits or Super Mario Chocolate) on these sites.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a unique snack, these are some of the greatest in Japan in this Janbox’s article. Japanese snacks are becoming increasingly popular throughout the world and for good reason! There are always fresh and best Japanese snacks to try, but these were some of the most popular and must-try products in the snack business. So, the next time you are in a supermarket before heading to the pay station, keep an eye out for any of these delightful snacks you have not yet eaten and let Janbox know.
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