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?

Japan in January

Japan is beautiful in January … and every other month!

Mt. Fuji – World Heritage Site … finally

富士山 (Mt. Fuji), a symbol of Japan, has finally been granted status as a World Heritage Site.

In honor, Google Japan incorporated the mountain in their logo today (although Google U.S. didn’t).

Even after over twenty years

I have been living in Japan for most of my life.
I came here when I was twenty years old…and that was over twenty years ago now.

I think Japan is the most beautiful country in the world and Tokyo is the best city.

I wanted to show some scenes that I see regularly in Japan and I may have started taking for granted but they are a part of what makes Japan so special.

Rather than go through the photos in my camera’s memory cards, I decided to be a bit lazy and see what I could find online.
I found a website called Getty Images that has many stock photos…some of them of Japan.
The people who take these photos must have cameras that are much nicer than mine because they took some really nice photos.

I use photos that I took myself in most of my blog posts, but the following photos are from Getty Images.

Every January, when the "Tokyo Stock Exchange" reopens after the New Years holidays, the female staff wear kimono.

A"bird's eye view" of Tokyo

A traditional Japanese breakfast.

A Japanese garden.

The symbol of Japan: 富士山 (Mount Fuji).

Tokyo's "Rainbow Bridge".

Japanese "Green Tea".

The Shibuya area of Tokyo

The Shinjuku area of Tokyo.

新幹線 (Bullet trains)

Tokyo Tower

By the way, today is the seventh day of the New Year.
On this day it is Japanese custom to eat 「七草粥」 (“Seven Herbs Porridge“) for breakfast.
I will have it for breakfast today as I usually do on January 7th.

Click here to see my post that explains this tradition in more detail.