Popular Even Overseas I want Don’t they look delicious! Japanese Snacks are some! Amazing! Photography/Satoshi Osaki, Text/Kyoko Ohtsu Models/ Reina Pujol, Michael Osagai, Kamino Akutsu (the above 3: Junes) I love this Moa, Haruki, Natsuki, Yuna Yummy! one Delicious, fun and safe, the variety of Japanese snacks and Can I have sweets is amazing. The casual sweets children love are exquisite, more? from their packaging to their texture. Everyone eats them without thinking, but these sweets and snacks feature the creativity and attention to detail for which the Japanese are famous.

This is fun!

Splendide!

⑧ Japanese05 sweets are amazing!06 • Koeda • Morinaga 01

How cute! Just like the real thing! Too pretty Fun Shapes! to eat POINT That’s strange

Products introduced on the left Open an Ottotto packet to discover the Happy Blowfish! They are so rare, luck smiles on anyone who finds one.

Look closely at Kinoko-no- yama to see its ● Kinoko-no-yama ● Meiji resemblance with Apollo, http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/ its predecessor. /kinotake/

One time on the train from France to the of crackers and chocolate is difficult. Netherlands, I felt someone watching me However, like wagashi, sweet snacks are as I was eating Kinoko-no-yama developed around the concept of using (Mushroom mountain) snacks. I looked natural ingredients and with an emphasis up, and my eyes met those of the child on nature and the seasons. Some ● Takenoko-no-sato ● Meiji opposite me. I offered him one, but his examples are Kinoko-no-yama (Meiji), http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/ chocolate/kinotake/ mother accepted it, instead, and thanked Takenoko-no-sato (Meiji), Koeda me. “Why, it’s a mushroom!” she (Morinaga), and Ottotto (Morinaga). exclaimed. Mother and son were so The road to success has obstacles, impressed they even made a song: “It’s however. For example, Meiji made so small, but made with such care.” How hundreds of prototypes over five years can this one sweet inspire such a happy before perfecting Kinoko-no-yama. When scene? And so, my quest to discover why released in 1975 during the heyday of Japanese sweets are so outstanding block chocolate and chocolate bars, it ● Ottotto ● Morinaga began. was perceived as an oddity, especially http://www.morinaga.co.jp/ototo/ Many focus on the beauty and subtlety of with such a novel name. However, its wagashi, Japanese-style confectionary, release spawned a new snack category but sweet snacks are not far behind in in : fancy chocolate snacks. their magnificence. Most sweets regarded Today, the characters Mr. Kinoyama by Japanese to be for children are (Kinoko-no-yama) and the Takenoko actually amazingly elaborate. Brothers (Takenoko-no-sato) have their Kinoko-no-yama is one example of a own microsite on Meiji’s corporate web

sweet with the added enjoyment of being site. Where else but Japan are characters ● Koeda ● Morinaga shaped like the real thing. Unlike born from sweets? http://www.morinaga.co.jp/ koeda/ wagashi, changing the color and shape

07 08 02 The sweets of Japan is terrible!!!!!

How mystifying to have paper wrapping inside the package

Pretty Individual Wrappers! POINT

I didn’t know that!

The individual wrapping is creative, too

Look at the front

Outstanding care is taken with packaging. lightproof, high-antioxidant wrapping is Many sweet packets are not only used to protect them. Therefore, Country beautiful on the outside, but each piece Ma’am cookies, which have a high-fat inside is wrapped. The attention to detail content, come in aluminum-coated Look at the back in the printing on both sides of these wrappers. But Milky sweets are small packets is typically Japanese. individually wrapped in paper and With individual wrapping, leftover portions packaged in an aluminum-coated bag, remain fresh. Also, people can carry and Pop Candy has clear individual snacks in their bags, or distribute them to wrappers and outer packaging. visitors as they leave. Some say all this Of course, the wrapper printing and wrapping is excessive, but it shows the manufacturing process uses special The printed individual wrappers are meticulous, Japanese focus on food hygiene and technology. constantly gathers too. safety. information on printing and manufacturing Individually wrapped Country Ma’am technology, as well as the sweets cookies, for example, will not break or themselves, to ensure quality control. crumble when held. The wrapper itself is They use this information to give their thick and made of strong material. “Our products an ingenious twist. Moreover, quality control ensures the wrapping is the Fujiya PR spokesperson said they airtight, even when immersed in water,” also found “many people play with the says a Fujiya PR spokesperson. What is wrappers.” The wrapping astonishing, though, is that the tough Fujiya had the fun idea of including one wrapper can be opened with minimum wrapper printed with a happy four-leaf effort. clover in every ten bags of Milky. In other is not just

Open a Milky to discover Country Ma’am, Pop Candy, and Milky, words, one four-leaf clover wrapper is a four-leaf clover—a pictured right, are all popular Fujiya printed for every couple of thousand pretty, but also happy omen! ‘Milky’ is products. Their contents are individually wrappers. Anyone who finds one will no printed over the three- wrapped, but the various packaging doubt feel lucky. leaf clovers and ‘Happy’ combinations serve a deeper purpose. high-tech over the four-leaf clover. Sweets with a high fat content are ■ All products introduced on the right susceptible to light and oxygen that Fujiya: http://www.fujiya-peko.co.jp/ cause discoloring and deterioration, so 09 ©FUJIYA CO.,LTD 10 Opening the 03

Bizarre boxes pop open and close again package itself is fun! Easy-to-open packages! The diagonal valley-fold POINT line makes the opening narrower and the lid easier to close.

Chocolate rolls out of the beak Of course, once you open it, you will close it again

A cute shape when the lid The neat is closed opening makes it easier to take out the sweets The hook prevents the closed lid from opening.

You may have noticed many Japanese abundant variety is amazing. We selected one push. Children love opening the the lid from opening after you close the boxes have perforations. Hold the tag the four long-selling products pictured beak, stuffing their mouth with chocolate box. ■ Products introduced on these pages and tear along the perforation to open the above from the countless products and closing the box, over and over. Many single come in boxes • /Ezaki Glico box easily, without tearing the other available. The Galbo box changes shape after you with the pieces arranged on a paper tray. http://www.glico.co.jp/ sides. Even children can open them. The lid on the latest Pocky package, open it. Pinch the neck and the lid closes The chocolates do not stick to the tray, • Choco Ball /Morinaga Also, do not forget most boxes can be pictured on the far left, pops open with a comfortably. The squat shape when the overlap, or lose their shape. http://www.morinaga.co.jp/ closed again. This way, the sweets box single move. The opening is curved, and lid is closed is quite cute. The sweets box is not a mere box. The • Galbo /Meiji is never left open. A small box costs as the contents are easy to remove. The Kinoko-no-yama box is rather advanced packaging technology not only • Kinoko-no-yama /Meiji little as 100 yen and conceals the double The Choco Ball box opens to form the detailed and innovative. Open it from the makes the eating experience fun, but http://www.meiji.co.jp/ pleasure of opening and closing it—only beak of Kyoro-chan, the bird featured on front towards the back along the also simply ensures product quality. Many chocolates are packed on trays to ensure in Japan. the familiar-shaped package. The balls perforation, and the flap becomes the lid. the portions are neat. The fun of opening the boxes and their roll out the open beak, which closes with Slip the flap into the front slit to prevent

11 12 02 04 ● Hello Kitty Nakayoshi Bakery (8 in the series) ● Re-ment: http://www.re-ment.co.jp/ Build your Sweets are fun even after they are eaten dream bakery! They come with toys! POINT

The elaborate toys infatuate adults, too

eight to create a bakery, as shown. Hello Kitty is used as the character in this series, so you can imagine how popular it is with Hello Kitty fans. ＊Showcase sold separately. ©1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1996, 2001, 2010 Sanrio Co., Ltd. Approval No.G510593 The box is packed with bread, cakes ©2010 RE-MENT and other bakery food that feel like the real thing. Other superb little touches include half-baked bread that needs another 30 minutes’ baking time and a cash register with bank notes inside. Kanji These toys are guaranteed to grab characters girls’ hearts. transform into Collect, combine and play with all 10 fun wooden toys in the series, ●Asobi Glico Children enjoy a real transformation (Ezaki Glico) 3-D animals! including Hebisan-no Wanage (Snake coits), Tsumiki Asobi (Building http://www.ezaki- with the Cho-henkan!! Moji-bakeru 2 blocks) and Nezumi-no Castanets (Mouse castanets). glico.net/asobiglico/ (Super transformer!! Letter changer 2) toys with sweets (bottom). Play with When Japanese think of sweets with much to consumers’ delight. the kanji-character shaped toys and toys, they think of Glico. In most The toys included are different for you will be delighted to find you have families, three generations will have boys and girls, and vary with the transformed them into the animals eaten Glico sweets and played with times: dolls, vehicles, traditional toys, represented by the kanji. The reason Glico toys. anime characters and mini picture for their irresistible power is that they Established in 1922, Glico wanted to books. are sold by a toy manufacturer. contribute to children’s health, so they Glico’s latest product, on sale now, is The Candy Business Division of developed an easy-to-eat caramel the Asobi Glico (Play Glico) wooden Japan’s leading character goods containing the nutrient glycogen. Even toy series. You can play with these retailer, Bandai, devises sweets with then, the product included picture elaborate toys despite their size. Many toys around the clock. ● Cho-henkan!! Moji-bakeru 2 cards. Glico began including paper parents and grandparents buy them for “Bandai has the know-how to produce ● Bandai: gimmick toys that combine and http://www.bandai. crafts and commercial bean toys in their children and grandchildren, but co.jp/candy/ 1927. the nostalgic soft touch and warmth of transform, so we applied this sense of They released a unique product with wood is popular with adults, too. As fun and wonder to the toys included Six in the series, each includes one two small toy boxes attached to the one might expect, well-established with sweets for children to enjoy,” completed kanji toy says a Bandai PR spokesperson. main box in 1929, which is still used sweet manufacturers have a broader and one piece of today. customer base. The series of six includes Okami- soda-flavored gum. Glico resumed production after the Looking at the next page, you will be bakeru (wolf), Ushi-bakeru (cow), and The series also war in 1947, and included crayons, surprised at how fancy these toys are. Kame-bakeru (turtle)—each coming in features metallic versions, stunning erasers, chalk and other teaching aids The Nakayoshi Bakery series (top) four colors. At 105 yen each, the cost when completed. in their products to combat shortages, retails for 399 yen each. Collect all performance is astonishing. 13 14 05 Hokkaido ●Giant Pocky Find flavors you never knew existed—the perfect souvenir Yubari melon flavor / Ezaki Glico Regional, Limited-edition Treats POINT 地方限定品がある！

Japanese are susceptible to the words of the thousands of limited edition sweets ‘limited edition.’ Many sweets and snacks on the market. The trends in manufacturers also release regional and regional flavors are yubari melon and seasonal limited-edition sweets and in Hokkaido; cherry in Yamagata snacks, attempting to satisfy the Prefecture; grape and apple in the insatiable Japanese hunger for any Shinshu area, Tohoku; okonimiyaki limited edition product. (savory pancake) sauce in Kansai; Adding to this is the unique Japanese mentaiko (spicy ) and purple custom of giving souvenirs as presents. sweet in Kyushu; tropical fruit and Chubu While on trips, many Japanese will buy brown cane sugar in Okinawa. All ●Chitcha-na Pretz Nozawana Tohoku something for their family, colleagues, represent regional specialties and are flavor /Ezaki Glico friends, and even themselves. Sweets restricted to those flavors that best match ● Hi-chew Sakuranbo ● Pakuncho are simple, easy to carry, and well sweets and snacks. (Cherry flavor )/ flavor (Nagano Prefecture only) received by all—the perfect gifts. If Visit the souvenir shop at the airport, Morinaga /Morinaga these treats are limited edition, they station or department store to find sweets ● Giant Pretz Gyutan pique the receivers’ interest even more. and snacks in novel flavors you did not (Beef tongue flavor)/ These pages introduce a small selection know even existed. Ezaki Glico

Kyushu ●Country Ma’am Kyushu purple sweet potato flavor /Fujiya ● Jagariko Mentaiko Aji (Spicy pollock roe flavor) /Calbee Discover unique

Kanto regional flavors ● Country Ma’am Tochiotome (Strawberry flavor)/Fujiya

Kansai Shikoku ● Kappa Ebisen Doro-sauce Aji Okinawa ● POM Juice Collon ● Hi-Soft Koku-to(Brown cane sugar flavor) (Worcestershire sauce flavor) /Calbee (Orange & Mikan Collon) /Morinaga ● Potato Chips Kansai dashi joyu /Ezaki Glico ● Pakuncho Pineapple flavor /Morinaga (Seasoning soy-sauce flavor) /Calbee

＊As of March 1, 2011. Products may vary according to the season and other circumstances. 15 16 06 07

Surprise popular products unknown to Japanese Book and visit Flavor Preference Differs Overseas! Factory Tours POINT POINT

Which flavor Looks is popular in like fun your country?

Hi-Chu Strawberry, A friend who often travels to Indonesia are released in different flavors and You may be hungry after discovering the packaged, and come to love them even popular in the USA and on business said his Bourbon Lumonde packaging to suit the overseas market. mysteries and wonders of Japanese more. Hi-Chu Grape, popular in presents were such a hit with the locals Which flavors are popular outside Japan? snacks. All companies require you to book for . he was asked to bring more next time. Calbee, a major domestic snack All the sweets and snacks introduced their factory tours. Most conduct their The light, crisp texture is more distinctive manufacturer that entered the overseas cost between 100 and 300 yen. How tours at specific times, such as weekends than the flavor. market long ago, conducted detailed lucky we are to be able to enjoy such and school holidays. We advise you book In China, Fujiya’s Home Pie is sold in research into the flavors preferred in delicious, fun, safe snacks at these low early for the busy seasons, such as expensive department stores and other foreign snacks. Standard American prices, anytime. spring and summer break. shops in different packaging and favorites are barbeque, sour cream and Many snack manufacturers open their Spend your day off with your family quantities than that in Japan. The onion, and cheddar cheese. Singaporeans production line to the general public. You enjoying the wonders of snacks and give company name, Fujiya—literally, no other prefer hot and spicy flavors. In Korea, hot- will make unexpected discoveries as you your children sweet memories. household could be so fortunate—is flavored snack sales are not as high as watch the snacks being produced and considered good luck, so gold cans one would expect. Salty flavors are most containing 82 Home Pies each are popular with Koreans, as with Japanese, popular as wedding favors distributed to followed by sweet and salty-sweet Factory tours selection Potato Chips Ethnican, guests. flavors. Thais also prefer light salty flavors much-loved in Hong The chocolate UHA Mikakuto sells at its to spicy flavors. Kong, where consumers Meiji premium shop in China is a popular Consumers in Hong Kong and prefer rich flavors. ● Kanto Factory ( chocolate, Karl) luxury product as well. Guangdong, China, dislike strong salty ● Tokai Factory (milk chocolate, Karl) The most popular product around the flavors, and like rich flavors. ● Factory (Kinoko-no-yama, Karl) The products are as diverse as the world is Morinaga’s Hi-Chu. Morinaga Visit the Meiji web site for details. recognized Hi-Chu’s unique flavor, countries in which they are sold. Next http://www.meiji.co.jp/corp/group/ja_ofce/ quality, and softness characteristics and time you go traveling, try the local Ezaki Glico made Hi-Chu its core strategic product versions of Japanese sweets and snacks. not only in Asia, but also in the home of You may become addicted to the ● Glico Pia Kobe http://www.glico.co.jp/glicopia_kobe/guide.htm Western sweets—Europe and North unexpected flavors you find. America. When you think about it, Hi- Calbee ＊Temporarily closed Chu’s strange texture is quite original: ● Chitose Factory (potato chips production) to visitors. yoghurt is the base flavor of fruit candy, ● Oishia Kiyohara Factory (cereal and snack production) and Hi-Chu has a soft chew consistency Home Pie gold cans ● Hiroshima Factory (Kappa Ebisen, snack production) that melts in your mouth. The flavors are containing 82 pieces sell http://www.calbee.co.jp/soudanshitsu/factory/ creative, and some are unavailable in in Chinese luxury ＊Tour applications vary by company and factory. department stores and Japan, such as cola and pudding. ＊ Contact the factory before visiting and apply for the tour where necessary. shops and are popular as As shown, some Japanese sweets are gifts. retailed overseas as they are, but most

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