Brand: 7-11 Cost: A Gift from Lisa Found At: 7-11 I do not buy this cookie for myself. I cannot buy this cookie for myself. If I set that precedent, then it’s all over. Healthy eating promises will be broken, budgeting will go out the window – it’s less of a slippery slope and... Continue Reading →
Sesame Barley Tea
Brand: Suntory Cost: 140 yen Found At: Family Mart Do you ever innocently buy a bottle of tea only to discover that it is actually a high-blood pressure treatment? There I was, innocently reaching for a bottle of sesame tea, and now I’m improving my heart health. As usual, it seems I have accidently... Continue Reading →
Craftea Orange Tea
Brand: Minute Maid Cost: 160 yen Found At: Vending Machine Sweet tea is my green eggs and ham. I do not like it. Which is odd, because I like sweet things and I like tea and I like to eat my sweet things with my tea. But I don't like sweet tea. So, it... Continue Reading →
Chestnut Chocolate
Brand: Tirol Cost: 40 yen Found At: Mini Stop If it were not for the Christmas song, I would have no idea that chestnuts were edible. In fact, before coming to Asia, I just assumed that eating them was a weird, archaic practice – like the Jomon era peoples eating acorns. It’s the kind... Continue Reading →
“Fami-Macaron” Raspberry Stick
Brand: Family Mart Cost: 120 yen Found At: Family Mart There are a lot of things to unpack here: First, it is remarkable how many things Family Mart will brand with the “Fami” prefix. Fami-chicken is the in-house fried chicken. Fami-shu is the family Mart cream-puff (Family mart + pate a choux). And... Continue Reading →
Okinomiyaki Sauce Fried Rice Onigiri
Brand: 7-11 Cost: 140 yen Found at: 7-11 I was hungry, I was tired, and I saw the words “okonomiyaki” and “sauce.” That was the temptation I needed. It must have taken me 30 seconds to walk into the 7-11, grab this rice ball, pay, and rush outside to devour it in the parking lot.... Continue Reading →
Sweet Potato Cream Puff
Brand: Family Mart (Famima Sweets) Cost: 140 yen Found At: Family Mart Fall is here! And just like America’s obsession with pumpkin spice, Japan celebrates the autumn with its own particular seasonal flavor –sweet potato. There are sweet potato cakes, sweet potato pies, sweet potato pastries, and this glorious creation – the sweet potato... Continue Reading →
Natural Mineral Water
Brand: Asahi Cost: 110 yen Found at: Vending Machine at Port of Nagoya Yeah, it’s just water.
Tonkatsu and Egg Salad Sandwich Set
Brand: M&T Cost: 385 Found At: Mini Stop It is not every day that I get to splurge on the fancy sandwiches at the Mini Stop, but I am so glad that I did. This sandwich set was hands-down incredible. Convenience store sandwiches are already solidly delicious (the tonkatsu - pork cutlet - and egg... Continue Reading →
Smoked Cheese Pringles
Brand: Pringles Cost: 131 yen Found At: Mini Stop When it comes to Japanese flavored chips, these smoked cheese Pringles are pretty tame. To be fair, they are exactly as advertised – smoky and cheesy. The taste is similar to what you would get if you mixed some liquid smoke into some powdered cheese and... Continue Reading →