Experience modern Japanese culture with these Japanese-made snacks and you will never be fed up with drinking your tea. Get the Tokyo—or any Japanese city—feel with these treats and your green tea drinking time will become lively and refreshed. For people who miss these snacks after leaving Japan, this list is perfect for you as you can easily consolidate them into your food list.
Pocky Biscuit Sticks
Chocolate-covered biscuit sticks made of high-quality flour and cacao grown in Ecuador, the world-famous Japanese snack Pocky is a popular treat among teenagers. Nice to look at and easy to eat, it can be enjoyed with tea, milk, or a chocolate drink. With the combined flavors of chocolate and green tea, you will surely empty 1-3 boxes of Pocky.
Shelly Shenbei Snowy Crispy Rice Cracker Biscuits
Japanese people automatically serve senbei crackers with matcha or sencha or, if there is no tea, these are offered to guests as treats. Since Shelly’s Japanese style rice crackers are baked and cholesterol-free, it will be a great pair with the healthy Japanese green tea. It’s a crunchy and awesome salty sweet flavor combo. Delectable and a guilt-free snack for the health conscious.
Royce Nama Chocolate
Chocolate that melts on the tongue. No need to buy tissues as the snack packaging includes a spoon for a nice and clean way to savor these small chocolate squares. This is perfect as a gift for Japanese green tea lovers out there. The fine chocolatey taste complements the sweetness of matcha and will make a Japanese afternoon tea a clean and delightful moment. Note: If you plan to bring these desserts on a flight, don’t forget to put them in a bag with ice packs so it won’t melt before you arrive at your destination.
Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory
Try these milk cheese-filled square-shaped cookie treats and you will come back for more. Great to pair with tea because the milky ingredient complements the Japanese green tea taste, especially matcha. Whether eating this by dipping it in tea or eating it alone and then sipping a cup of tea, the taste will be a mini milk tea experience. No need to put these on plastic when on the go since these treats are individually packed. The most popular is Salt & Camembert flavor. The other available flavors are Cookies & Cream, Porcini & Gouda, and Honey & Gorgonzola.
Letao Otaru Rue Ironai Fromage
Like the Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory, Letao cookies will make everyone crave more. Despite the fact that these snacks are inspired from the French dessert “langue de chat” (cat’s tongue), the packaging and way of eating these with tea is still Japanese. The salt, white chocolate, and cream cheese filling sandwiched between 2 thin buttery cookies will greatly accompany the sencha tea taste. Easy to bring on the go but be careful where to place these packed snacks as these can be crushed into bits easily.
Kit Kat Chocolate Special
Kit Kat is not originally from Japan but many flavors are exclusively created in Japan such as matcha, sake, Tokyo banana, and many more. In this product listing from Amazon, there is a Dagashi box version which means people who appreciate the Japanese culture can taste these small treats together with Japanese green tea. Less guilt since these snacks are small and are a good size, each one or two can be paired with a cup of beverage. For non-dieters, just go for specific Kit Kat flavors and buy as many as you like. After a day’s work, have a break, have a Kit Kat!
Tokyo Banana
One of Japan’s popular delicacy souvenirs is Tokyo Banana. These banana-shaped sponge with custard filling are being loved by tourists and are available in Amazon to accomplish Japanese snack time in the comfort of home. Whatever the flavor, Tokyo Banana is appealing to look at and to consume together with a hot tea drink. Soft and can be eaten by everyone with all their teeth or not.
Calorie Mate
Don’t judge a book by its cover. The packaging is boring, but the taste of these thick biscuits can satisfy cravings in only a few bites and at the same time can give the energy needed within the day. This is also great for dieters and can be an additional healthy treat with green tea drink. The packaging makes it easy for weight watchers to take note of their calorie intake. Thus why the CalorieMate is made like this.
Yoku Moku Cinq Delices
Five Yoku Moku’s best delicacies in one box. These cookies are made from natural ingredients and do not contain preservatives. They are irresistible, especially the cigar-type cookies where the green tea will become a fancy ashtray for eating the vanilla butter flavor cookie. The other cookie delicacies are filled with chocolate. Some of these chocolate cookies have macadamia nuts. People who like tea and assorted cookies will absolutely enjoy consuming these. Great for outdoor tea parties, too.
Shiroi Koibito Chocolate and White Chocolate Cookies
Similar to Letao in that the filling is sandwiched between thin cookies, these are square-shaped chocolate cookies: Shiroi Koibito is a nice treat for tea enthusiasts. The chocolate filling recipe is only made for the Shiroi Koibito cookies. The tin container is nice, and a great gift especially for Christmas. Just take note to hold the cookies carefully so they will not be crushed before eating these delicacies. For aesthetic purposes, just put the Shiroi Koibito box (still with the treats) on the table, put 2-3 opened Shiroi Koibito cookies on a saucer, and place the tea cup beside the saucer: Now you have a sophisticated tea-themed table and room.
With the help of the latest technology and online stores like Amazon, Japanese snacks are now easily within reach. Japanese green tea will never be tiring if accompanied with different treats. Just don’t forget to eat these delicious snacks in moderation and brush your teeth after.
Author Kei Nishida is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, and uses product images with permission
