Yen Radecki

No matter where you are in the world, there’s a very good chance you’ve tried Pocky before! These crunchy biscuit sticks with chocolate coating were first launched in 1966 by the major confectionary Glico and quickly became a national favorite. Before long, Pocky had established itself abroad as an iconic Japanese snack, thanks in large...

Japanese ads have long been notorious for their silly, over-the-top, and often baffling content. A quick glance at the multitude of compilations of Japanese commercials on Youtube reveals not only that there’s an international audience for Japan’s colorful ads, but that this trend is far from dying out. Every once in a while, however, an...

Growing up, we probably all remember being told not to play with our food. However, did you know that in Japan, there’s a popular kind of candy that’s not only great for playing with—but actively encourages it?! Japanese DIY candy kits are specially designed products that give customers the tools and instructions to make their...

Japan is a country well-known for its weird and wonderful cuisine. From traditional Japanese dishes like fermented soy bean natto and salty-spicy pollock roe mentaiko, to modern snacks like cough drop flavored Kit Kats and horse meat ice cream—Japan is a wonderland for adventurous diners looking to challenge their taste buds. But Japanese food isn’t...

When it comes to gifts, there is nothing more uniquely Japanese than classic omiyage. Omiyage, a word literally meaning “local product,” is a box of individually wrapped local snacks that Japanese people give their friends and colleagues after returning from a trip. In the West, this might seem like a nice gesture, but in Japan,...

In 2014, Nestlé capitalized on this success by opening the first Kit Kat (or KitKat) Chocolatory: a boutique Kit Kat store offering a range of special edition products.

You might already know the Japanese word wagashi, but what about dagashi? While wagashi describes high-end Japanese sweets, dagashi is the exact opposite: small, cheap, dime-a-dozen style snacks and candy. Why do these two words sound so similar? Although they’re both formed from the word for candy, kashi (菓子), wagashi gets the 和 prefix, meaning...

In Japan, sakura season is a big event in the calendar, heralding the arrival of spring, warmer weather, and the start of the school and business year. Beginning anywhere from late March to early May, it’s also an opportunity to experience the quintessentially Japanese activity of hanami, or flower viewing, where Japanese people flock by...

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma is the anime adaptation of the popular manga written by Yūto Tsukuda and serialized in Shonen Jump. It tells the story of Soma Yukihira, a budding chef who joins the elite Totsuki Saryo culinary school hoping to hone his skills enough to surpass his father and become a full-time chef...

Have you ever been to Harajuku?  This district in Tokyo is famous worldwide as a hub of street fashion and youth culture, with artists like Gwen Stefani and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu taking inspiration from the area’s vibrant trends and street culture. Every day, tourists and locals alike flock to Harajuku’s busy Takeshita Street and Cat...

Despite being a relatively recent Western import, Valentine’s Day in Japan is a big deal. The celebration first became popular in the 1950s, when large department stores began selling chocolate products as gifts for women to give the special men in their lives. Gift-giving is an important part of Japanese culture, and in particular the...

If you are a big fan of Japanese snacks, you must have known or tried Umaibo – one of the most popular and iconic snacks in Japan since 1979. When it comes to classic Japanese snacks, chewy mochi and matcha Kit Kats are probably some of the first examples that spring to mind. However, one...