Japanese regional Kit-Kat souvenirs

In Japanese culture, when someone goes on a trip or even to a major amusement park, they feel compelled to buy お土産 (souvenirs) for friends and family…and even their co-workers (if they’re aware of the trip).

Normally, they like to give a “regional” souvenir. Something that represents the city or country that they visited…even a “I ♥ NY ” key-chain from a trip to New York could be a gift good enough for a co-worker or such.

When Japanese people go on a domestic trip (visit another town or city within Japan), it’s popular to buy a local food item as a souvenir.

So, currently, Kit-Kat Japan are offering ご当地お土産 (Regional Souvenirs).

Map of Japan showing regional Kit-Kat flavors for various areas.

I’ve written a number of posts about the myriad of Kit-Kat flavors in Japan. (Click here to see my posts about a large variety).

Some of the special Kit-Kat flavors that the map above shows:

• Rum Raisin flavor Kit-Kat for Tokyo
• Strawberry Cheesecake flavor Kit-Kat for all of Japan in a special Mt. Fuji box
• Strawberry Cheesecake flavor Kit-Kat for Yokohama
• Kobe Pudding flavor Kit-Kat for Kobe

What Kit-Kat flavors have you tried? How did you like them?

Customized Kit-Kat

You can design your own original Kit-Kat package with any photograph you like of your family, friends, pet, or whatever, and have that picture on a pack of regular, dark, or green tea Japanese Kit-Kats.

Kit-Kat Japan’s 「チョコラボキットカット」 (“Kit-Kat Chocolate collaboration”) website

Click here to go the Kit-Kat Japan website where you can design and order original Kit-Kat packages (site is in Japanese only).

Halloween Kit-Kat

Kit-Kat Japan is famous for their numerous unique flavors.
(Click here to see a post I wrote about some of the many different flavors.)

Right now, Kit-Kat Japan is offering 「パンプキンプリン味」 (“Pumpkin Pudding Flavor”) Kit-Kits for Halloween.

Kit-Kat helped Tohoku

In Japan, Kit-Kat offers many unique only-in-Japan flavors.

( I wrote a post about some of the Kit-Kat Japan flavors.)

But one of their recent products was for a special cause…the “Kit-Kat World Variety” went on sale in Japan last March and ¥20 from each package sold went toward the rebuilding of the Sanriku train line (in Tohoku, Japan) which was destroyed in the 2011 March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

“Kit-Kat World Variety”

What makes Kit-Kat “World Variety” unique is that the package contains thirteen Kit-Kat chocolates…three are from Japan, five are from Australia and the other five are from England…this is because chocolate is made slightly differently in every country around the world and therefore tastes differently.

In addition to donating to the reconstruction of the train line, Kit-Kat also asked people from around the world to visit their Facebook page and leave messages of hope to the people of Tohoku  who were affected by the disaster…and many of those messages were displayed on the body of the new trains for the Sanriku line.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Another new only-in-Japan “junkfood” product will be by Pepsi Japan soon.

Last December, Pepsi Japan offered “Pepsi Pink“.  And, next month, they will begin selling “Pepsi Black“.

This drink will contain 50% less sugar and will have a “lemon flavor”.

Would you buy any of these?

I wrote a post before about some of the unique “Japan only” flavors of “Kit-Kat” chocolates in Japan (Click here to read it).

Well, as Kit-Kat Japan often does, they have introduced a few new flavors recently:

 

"Big Little Strawberry Kit-Kat"

 

"Maccha Assort" (6pcs of "Green Tea Kit-Kat" and 7pcs of "Milk Green Tea Kit-Kat")

 

"Yubari Melon Kit-Kat" (Yubari is a town in Hokkaido, Japan famous for it's melon)

Kit-Kat Japan isn’t the only company in Japan that offers unique “only-in-Japan” products.
Some others are Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Pepsi-Cola, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King.

Currently, Burger King Japan is offering two new styles of their “Whopper” sandwich in Japan:
the “All Heavy“, which has extras of all of the condiments on the sandwich…at no extra charge (¥420), and the “Meat Monster“, which has an extra hamburger patty, bacon and chicken…this one costs almost double the normal cost of a “Whopper” (¥820).

Burger King Japan's "All Heavy" Whopper and "Meat Monster" Whopper

Do any of these look good to you?

Some photos

Here are a few photos I took around Tokyo yesterday.

Public mailboxes in Japan are orange and have two slots. One for domestic mail and one for international.
But in late December, they’re changed…they become one slot for 「年賀状」 (New Years Postcards) and the other slot for all other mail.

Click here to read a post I wrote that explains a lot about New Years in Japan…including 「年賀状」 (New Years Postcards).

 

Until early January, the left slot is for 「年賀状」 (New Years Postcards) and the one on the right is for other mail.

 

「年賀郵便」 (New Year's mail)

Yesterday was 「天皇誕生日」 (the Emperor of Japan’s birthday). It’s a national holiday in Japan.
On Japanese national holidays many buildings such as post offices and 交番 (Police Boxes) display the 「日の丸」 (Japanese flag). It can also be seen on the front of city buses and along streets.

 

Putting the flag away in the evening.

 

「パンダ・クロース」 ("Panda Claus")

This panda reminded me of a sign I saw last March in Ueno about the panda that the zoo will be getting.
Click here to read my post about it.

Also, I have a few posts about the many different flavors of Kit-Kat in Japan.
Click here to see the most extensive post.

Well, I saw a store in 東京駅 (Tokyo train station) that sold many of the flavors.

This store sold many flavors, including 「わさび」 (Wasabi), 「いちみ」 (Chili), Strawberry Cheesecake, and the store's recommendation: Blueberry Cheesecake.

Newest Kit-Kat

Do you like Kit-Kat chocolates?

In your country, what types of flavors of Kit-Kat are available? Are there many flavors?

Kit-Kat in Japan is famous for constantly selling very original new flavors.

Click here to read a post I wrote about some of the numerous flavors of Kit-Kat in Japan.

The latest Kit-Kat flavor in Japan is 「杏仁豆腐風味」 (“Annin-doufu flavor“).

Annin-doufu is “Chinese Almond Jelly” dessert.

Annin-doufu (Chinese Almond Jelly) with fruit

 

I like Annin-doufu (Chinese Almond Jelly) so maybe I’ll try this.

お年玉 Kit-Kat

Last January, I wrote about Kit-Kat Japan‘s special chocolates for kids taking their school entrance exams (click here to read it).

I gave a box to my oldest daughter last winter when she was taking her high school entrance exams.
This year, my second daughter is in the ninth grade (final year of junior high school), so she’ll be taking her high school entrance exams next month. I’ll be buying the chocolate for her next month.

But right now, Kit-Kat Japan has another special box.
It’s 「お年玉　Kit-Kat」 (“Otoshidama-Kit-Kat“).

(Otoshidama Kit-Kat)

「お年玉」 (Otoshidama) is gift money given to children at New Years time.
It’s a Japanese tradition. Kids can receive special envelopes of money from all of their adult relatives at New Years until they turn twenty-years-old.

This Kit-Kat box has a special envelope pocket on the side to put money inside and a space to write “To” and “From”.
It also has a tiger on the box because 2010 will be the “Year Of The Tiger“.

Usually Japanese kids get 「お年玉」 (New Years gift money) in envelopes like these:

++++++++

And, unrelated, the “2010 Tokyo Marathon” will take place on 2010 February 28.

Last March, I wrote about the “2009 Tokyo Marathon“.
Click here to read it.

Kit-Kat Japan

I don’t eat alot of お菓子 (junkfood), especially milk-chocolate (I think bitter chocolate is better)…so I don’t usually buy Kit-Kat.
But I bought some recently for my daughter’s High School Entrance Exam (Click here to read about that).

I know, though, that there are quite a few flavors of Kit-Kat…but I didn’t know that they are exclusive to Japan. I thought that since Kit-Kat is a Western (English) company, that all these flavors are worldwide.

It seems that the unusual Japanese Kit-Kat chocolates are a popular souvenir with visitors to Japan from overseas.

I see these Kit-Kat chocolates all the time, so I’ve really thought nothing of them. But people who don’t live in Japan find them fascinating, it seems.

I have no idea how many flavors of Kit-Kat there are in Japan, but here are a few:

「柚子こしょう」 ("Yuzu-koshou"..."Kyushu-taste spice")

For Valentines

「キャラメルプリン味」 ("Caramel Pudding flavor") for Halloween

This can be mailed (front view)

(back view)

Another one for students taking their school Entrance Exam is 雪見桜 (Yukimizakura). The name implies cherry-blossoms in the snow, and the chocolate is pink and white swirl:

「雪見桜」 (Yukimizakura)

「大学いも味」 ("College Potato flavor") for College Entrance Exams takers.

This one is 東京限定 (“Tokyo only”):

濃きなこ ("Rich soy powder")

This one is 東京限定 (“Tokyo only”) too:

しょうゆ風味 ("Soy sauce style taste")

「林檎」 (Apple flavor)

Banana

「キャラメルマキアート」 (Cafe Latte with Caramel)

Cookies+

「大納言」 (Sweet bean)

ダブルベリー (Double Berry)

「伊藤久右衛門」 (Japanese green tea)

ほうじ茶 (Roasted Green Tea)

苺味 (Strawberry flavor)

Kit-Kat in a jar

きなこ (Soybean flour)

さくらんぼ味 (Cherry flavor)

みかん (Tangerine)

「白桃＆黄桃」 (White peach & Yellow peach)

Mild Bitter

Muscat grapes

This next one is おしるこ味 ((O)-shiruko flavor)…Click here to read my post about 汁粉 ((O)-shiruko).

「おしるこ味」 (Oshiruko flavor)

プリン (Pudding)

すいか (Watermelon)

White chocolate

ゆず (Japanese citrus fruit)

And then there are the “exotic“-series Kit-Kat chocolates:

"Exotic Tokyo"

"Exotic Tokyo; White"

"Exotic Tokyo; Sakura"

"Exotic Hokkaido"

"Exotic Hokkaido; White"

"Exotic Kyushu"

"Exotic Kansai"

There are alot more Kit-Kat flavors in Japan, too!

I took a few of the photos above with my camera…but most of them are from Kit Kat Japan‘s website.