Japan: Kit Kats
This is my last post from my Japan trip. FINALLY. I can't wait until I'm all caught up again. It's difficult for me to remember what I ate last weekend, much less three months ago. You can tell my memory is spotty when the photos in my posts take up more space than the text.
...Which describes probably 80% of my blog. Heh.
Anyway, when I was in Japan, I went sort of Kit Kat crazy. Like almost $60 crazy. Yea.
Here's my Kit Kat haul:
The Japanese have taken Kit Kats to a whole other level. Just check out these flavors: strawberry maple, pistachio and raspberry, matcha and kinako (roasted soybean flour), chili and passion fruit, butter, purple yam, sweet potato, apple, azuki (red bean), sakura matcha, wasabi, sake, and hojicha. Have you ever heard of any of these in the States? What about bakeable Kit Kats? That's right, BAKEABLE ones (see the sweet potato bag at the bottom of the photo). No? I didn't think so.
Now can you see what I went a little bit overboard? I'm actually quite proud of myself for not buying every single flavor I came across.
Yup. There were others.
(In case you're wondering, my favorite Kit Kat flavor was the hojicha or roasted tea one.)
For those of you planning on going to Japan for your own Kit Kat discovery quest, I have some tips for you regarding where to go seeking.
1) Convenience stores - You can definitely find interesting flavors at local convenience stores, but don't expect much variety. The flavors are "interesting" in that they aren't plain milk chocolate, but they're relatively tame compared to what you can find elsewhere.
2) Kit Kat Chocolatory - Located in department stores like Daimaru and Seibu, this is where you go if you want the high end Kit Kat experience. The flavors run toward gourmet...as do the prices. Think chandeliers and beautifully packaged Kit Kat boxed sets.
3) Shokoku Gotochi Plaza (諸国ご当地プラザ) - For the biggest selection of flavors, look no further than this unassuming store on the south side of the First Avenue Tokyo Station basement. Not only can you find a bunch of fun Kit Kat flavors at much more reasonable prices, you can also find local sweets and snacks from all across Japan. It's your one-stop shop for all your souvenir needs.
4) Airport - Apparently there are some flavors that can only be found in airports. When I got to Narita, I didn't expect to buy any more Kit Kats. I thought I was all Kit Kat'd out. But then I saw all these other flavors that I didn't see anywhere else and it was game over. To my pleasant surprise, the prices were comparable to those at Shokoku Gotochi Plaza.
One thing you should know is that the Kit Kat flavors available in Japan change from time to time. Certain flavors are seasonal, while others are limited time only. This means that there's always a new Kit Kat adventure waiting for you when you visit.
If you share my obsession with collecting things, you'll understand why this is so terrifying to me. It looks like I'll have to set aside a Kit Kat budget the next time I visit Japan...
...Which describes probably 80% of my blog. Heh.
Anyway, when I was in Japan, I went sort of Kit Kat crazy. Like almost $60 crazy. Yea.
Here's my Kit Kat haul:
The Japanese have taken Kit Kats to a whole other level. Just check out these flavors: strawberry maple, pistachio and raspberry, matcha and kinako (roasted soybean flour), chili and passion fruit, butter, purple yam, sweet potato, apple, azuki (red bean), sakura matcha, wasabi, sake, and hojicha. Have you ever heard of any of these in the States? What about bakeable Kit Kats? That's right, BAKEABLE ones (see the sweet potato bag at the bottom of the photo). No? I didn't think so.
Now can you see what I went a little bit overboard? I'm actually quite proud of myself for not buying every single flavor I came across.
Yup. There were others.
(In case you're wondering, my favorite Kit Kat flavor was the hojicha or roasted tea one.)
For those of you planning on going to Japan for your own Kit Kat discovery quest, I have some tips for you regarding where to go seeking.
1) Convenience stores - You can definitely find interesting flavors at local convenience stores, but don't expect much variety. The flavors are "interesting" in that they aren't plain milk chocolate, but they're relatively tame compared to what you can find elsewhere.
2) Kit Kat Chocolatory - Located in department stores like Daimaru and Seibu, this is where you go if you want the high end Kit Kat experience. The flavors run toward gourmet...as do the prices. Think chandeliers and beautifully packaged Kit Kat boxed sets.
3) Shokoku Gotochi Plaza (諸国ご当地プラザ) - For the biggest selection of flavors, look no further than this unassuming store on the south side of the First Avenue Tokyo Station basement. Not only can you find a bunch of fun Kit Kat flavors at much more reasonable prices, you can also find local sweets and snacks from all across Japan. It's your one-stop shop for all your souvenir needs.
4) Airport - Apparently there are some flavors that can only be found in airports. When I got to Narita, I didn't expect to buy any more Kit Kats. I thought I was all Kit Kat'd out. But then I saw all these other flavors that I didn't see anywhere else and it was game over. To my pleasant surprise, the prices were comparable to those at Shokoku Gotochi Plaza.
One thing you should know is that the Kit Kat flavors available in Japan change from time to time. Certain flavors are seasonal, while others are limited time only. This means that there's always a new Kit Kat adventure waiting for you when you visit.
If you share my obsession with collecting things, you'll understand why this is so terrifying to me. It looks like I'll have to set aside a Kit Kat budget the next time I visit Japan...
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