Enjoy the things you can afford
Brand: Kuwana Specialty Products Cost: 260 yen Found At: Shinkansen Track Kiosk I had no idea that this mochi existed until my mother pointed to a billboard in Kumano Nachi Taisha and asked, “is that an advertisement for maxi pads?” Sure enough, the billboard featured two of these An’ei Era (1772-1781) Mochi cakes which looked... Continue Reading →
Brand: Italian Wisteria Garden Cost: 130 yen Found At: Acrue Vending Machine – Kamakura I like that Japan has a myriad of options for non-sweet beverages. There are teas and sparkling waters and barley drinks galore available wherever you can get sodas and flavored waters. I’ve heard this cited as a reason why the obesity... Continue Reading →
Brand: Cherio Cost: 100yen Found At: Kyoto Vending Machine The laundromat does not always have change machines, but for 100 yen, the local vending machine will provide enough change to wash your socks – and it will even throw in a soda for your trouble. And because it was late and I had nothing else... Continue Reading →
Brand: YBC Cost: 260 yen Found At: “For Passengers” Kiosk at Nagoya Shinkansen Station This is how the other half lives - this is the Tokaido Shinkansen Exclusive. These are not the haphazard, basic chips of the Lawson’s or the Family Mart or the 7-11, these are the Mercedes of chips, made for the businessman... Continue Reading →
Brand: Cherio Cost: 100 yen Found At: Vending Machine – Kyoto Cherio vending machines are their own special creature. Not least because they are often fiendishly difficult to locate - not as ubiquitous as the Kirin, Asahi, Suntory, or Boss machines that you can find outside any apartment complex, train station, or four-way traffic stop.... Continue Reading →
Brand: Fujisafu Cost >200 yen (I don't remember) Found At: Cainz I am always looking for sweet potato chips. They are one of my favorite things and I cannot get enough of them. It was in this search that I came across an assortment of dehydrated vegetable chips at the Cainz superstore. Because I have... Continue Reading →
Brand: Asahi Cost: 140 yen Found At: Asahi Vending Machine Sixteen Teas contains all the ingredients of a Whole-30 nightmare. It claims to contain a wholesome blend of rice, wheat, beans, and two types of millet as part of the sixteen carefully selected ingredients based on “the health wisdom of the East.” Now, I do... Continue Reading →
Brand: Chocola Cost: 144 yen Found at: Ministop When I first came to Japan ten years ago, there was a huge ad campaign around B.B. Sparkling in which they claimed that drinking it would make you beautiful. For several years, I was sure that this could not possibly be true and that I was misremembering... Continue Reading →
Brand: Fujisafu Cost >200 yen (I don't remember) Found At: Cainz I have had a bad relationship with okra since a bulk seafood gumbo incident in my childhood. It is somehow spiny and slimy and bitter, and I have yet to have my “come to Jesus moment” with this staple of southern cooking. I will... Continue Reading →
Brand: Kirin; Sekai no Kitchen (World Kitchen) Cost 154 yen Found At: Family Mart For too long have I been ruled by fear. I have looked at the salty litchi drink on the shelves of my local convenience store and said: “not for me.” I have let my preconceived notions, made in ignorance, be my... Continue Reading →
The Little Food Blog 