
What is White Day? The Tradition of Gifting Japanese Chocolates
White Day is celebrated in Japan every year on March 14. It can be summarized as a day when men give gifts and chocolates to the women in their life, but there’s a whole lot more meaning behind it. To fully understand White Day (also written as ホワイトデー in Japanese), it’s important to take a...

The History Behind Japanese Kit Kats
Did you know that although Japanese Kit Kats, most widely known for their unique flavors, didn’t actually come from Japan – but instead originated from England? Almost 70 years after they were first made in the UK, Japan released the very first non-chocolate flavored Kit Kat and things were never the same again. Now, there’s...

Pocky Passion: Embracing the Love for a Japanese Classic!
Pocky is a name that will pop up in almost every conversation when talking about Japanese candy and Japanese snacks! They’re popular worldwide with plenty of flavors!

The Best Seasonal Kit Kat Flavors From Japan and Which Ones To Look Out for
Seasonality is Japan’s Specialty In Japan, it’s quite common to find products — most specially food products — that are themed around specific times of the year. These seasonal Japanese Kit Kats are often only available for a short period of time before they’re taken off the shelves until they come back again the same...

The Ultimate Guide to Taiyaki, The Popular Fish Shaped Cake From Japan
The word Taiyaki (鯛焼き) is a combination of tai and yaki. Tai refers to a type of fish, most commonly known as a sea bream, that often represents good fortune in Japanese culture. This is because the sound “tai” is also in the Japanese word “medetai,” which translates as joyous or auspicious. Yaki simply means...

The Legacy of Umaibo – a Must Try Japanese Snack
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...