One fun way to understand Japan better is eating Kit Kat chocolate. That’s right. This humble brand has been elevated to a cultural icon in Japan. Different prefectures in Japan offer different flavours that showcase their signature ingredients, making Kit Kats a delicious souvenir and a delightful way to learn about local specialties.
For instance, Shizuoka is famous for growing wasabi, so you can buy wasabi-flavoured Kit Kat when you visit it. Though this spicy flavour has become so popular that I’m sure you can find it in Tokyo as well.
If your itinerary allows you to visit only Tokyo, then consider visiting the Kit-Kat Chocolatory at Ikebukuro. It’s conveniently located at the basement food hall of the Seibu department store at Ikebukuro station. Once you reach there, you can buy one (or more) Variety Party Box that contains many tantalizingly delicious Kit Kat flavours. As many as 21 flavours, in fact. Here’s a detailed description of these amazing flavours.
- Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Matcha (rich in flavour)
- Wholegrain biscuit
- Strawberry
- White Chocolate
- Chocolate Orange
- High cacao (72% cacao)
- Cheesecake
- Sake
- Wasabi - from Shizuoka Prefecture
- Apple - from Nagano Prefecture
- Strawberry Cheesecake - from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Amaou Strawberry - from Fukuoka Prefecture
- Momiji Manju (a red bean cake flavor) - from Hiroshima Prefecture
- Uji Matcha - from Kyoto Prefecture
- Uji Hojicha (roasted green tea) - also from Kyoto Prefecture
- Azuki (sweet red bean) & Strawberry - from Hokkaido Prefecture
- Azuki Sandwich - from Tokai/Hokuriku region
- Tokyo Island Lemon - from Tokyo
- For Cafe (a special kind of chocolate that has been made to go well with coffee)
There are also other interesting flavours that will delight your taste buds.
- Tokyo Banana (found in Tokyo)
- Sakura Green Tea (found at Kansai Airport)
- Red Wine (found at Kansai Airport)
- Hokkaido Melon (found at Kansai Airport)
- Sweet Potato (released as a limited edition for Halloween)
- Taro
- Chestnut (released in autumn)
- Banana Caramel
- Peach
- mint ice cream
You can seek these Kit Kat flavours at places like Don Quijote outlets and Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport. Many chocolate enthusiasts have been known to buy as many Kit Kat flavours as they can and take a photo of their generous haul to post on their social media. You can do this too! Enjoy shopping to your heart’s content. Just be careful of your waistline.