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: Family Mart Cost: 100 yen Found At: Family Mart, Osaka Imagine you made caramel corn out of a potato – that is imo kempi. They are sticks of sweet potato, cut into the shape of french fries, that have been candied. In texture, they exist somewhere between a chip and a candy, with a... 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: Lawson Cost: 135 yen Found At: Lawson Sometimes when you swing by the convenience store, you just want a quick, light meal to get you through the day. An onigiri or an apple or cup of jasmine tea – anything healthy and convenient. Sometimes, however, you just need a brick of cake. To be... 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: Ribon Cost: 108 yen Found At: Kyoto Daiso I respect this company’s drive to innovate. I can even see the appeal of spicy cola – it sounds like it could be good. It especially sounds good with a name like “The Fires of Mitdosuji Steel Spicy Cola Challenge.” But something happened between the inspiration... Continue Reading →
Brand: Bourbon Cost: 100 yen Found At: Lawson You cannot go wrong with Alfort. They sell a few different variations of chocolate on cookie, and all of them are amazing. After all, it’s hard to mess up a combination like that. But these ones are especially tasty, with dark chocolate cookie base and vanilla white... Continue Reading →
Brand: Ribon Cost: 108 yen Found at: Kyoto Daiso There are times when you expect the worst and are pleasantly surprised. There are other times when you expect the worst and you are dead on. I knew as soon as I saw the illustration of a blonde Elvis with a lemon for hair that I... Continue Reading →
Brand: YBC Cost: 216 yen Found At: “For Passengers” Kiosk at Nagoya Shinkansen Station Literally just pringles that smell like fish. That's it. 200 yen and a "Shinkansen Exclusive" label and these are just pringles that smell like fish. They got me.
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 →
The Little Food Blog 