Summer Matsuri
This month's curation is full of snacks inspired by the flavors and foods found at natsu matsuri!
This month's snacks:
Kakigori Shaved Ice Gummy
CLASSIC EXCLUSIVE!
MADE BY: Kabaya Foods
PRODUCT OF: Okayama
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: No
COMMON ALLERGENS: Wheat
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Nothing will cool you down on a hot day like a bowl of shaved ice, but these kakigori gummies are pretty refreshing. Each bag has three popular shaved-ice flavors: strawberry, lemon, and blue soda. The gummies are shaped like mounds of flavored kakigori and have different textures to suit the flavor.
Mocchan Dango Mochi
MADE BY: Kyoshin Seika
PRODUCT OF: Aichi
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: None
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Japan is known worldwide for being the country of mochi, which is a traditional rice cake usually eaten for dessert. This dango mochi is covered in sugar crystals and is a chewy and delicious treat, traditionally enjoyed during spring festivals and served on a skewer to enjoy out of doors.
Okukirishima Tea
MADE BY: Kagoshima Seicha
PRODUCT OF: Kagoshima
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: None
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Using the finest sencha green tea leaves from Kirishima in Kagoshima Prefecture, this tea has subtle sweet notes and a rich, full-bodied silky mouthfeel. It has an elegant flavor profile and would be well-suited for both fancy occasions or your morning cuppa.
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
Boil 3oz of hot water and wait for it to cool to 158F/70C (until you can comfortably touch the mug) and steep the tea bag for 30 seconds, then lightly shake the bag up and down before taking it out.
Potato Snack: Wasabi Flavor
MADE BY: Kato Seika
PRODUCT OF: Aichi
FLAVOR: Savory
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Fried potato and sharp wasabi make a great combination in this crispy, flaky snack. Each disc is made with a potato-based batter that is deep fried for a shatteringly crisp texture, and the oil mellows out the kick from the wasabi powder so it isn’t too spicy.
Grilled Corn Uma Sen Rice Cracker
MADE BY: Sakata Beika
PRODUCT OF: Yamagata
FLAVOR: Savory
VEGETARIAN: No
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Grilled corn is a staple at Japanese summer festivals and you can enjoy the flavor on these thin, crispy rice crackers. They’re covered with a flavorful powder blend of sweet corn and fragrant soy sauce so every bite has both natural sweetness and umami.
Dora Choco
MADE BY: Yaokin
PRODUCT OF: Tokyo
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: Alcohol
Dora Choco is the cuter, more compact version of the snack dorayaki. Dorayaki is a common Japanese treat made with two pancake-like castella cakes sandwiching a red bean paste. With a chocolate center rather than the usual red bean paste, this dorayaki is an interesting spin on the traditional and keeps things fresh and interesting.
Handmade Ramune Candy
MADE BY: Bokksu x Daimonji Ame Honpo
PRODUCT OF: Kyoto
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: None
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Just like the original iconic summertime drink, Ramune, this uniquely carbonated fizzy candy is truly refreshing! With over 37 flavors of Ramune including yuzu, kiwi, and curry, we chose to recreate the classic soda pop flavor with help from Daimonji’s skilled artisans.
Pudding à la Mode Sandwich Cookie
MADE BY: Fuubian
PRODUCT OF: Ehime
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Eggs, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Pudding à la mode is a popular Japanese dessert of pudding served with ice cream and fruit, often in beautiful displays. This great summer treat has been transformed into a sandwich cookie with chocolate biscuits, creamy pudding flavored filling, and dried fruit like orange and strawberry.
Butter Mochi Senbei
MADE BY: Iwatsuka Seika
PRODUCT OF: Niigata
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
Butter mochi is a specialty in Akita Prefecture, but is growing in popularity across Japan for its rich flavor. This snack captures the sweet, buttery flavor on a delicate rice cracker made with Japanese domestic rice.
Takoyaki Tei Corn Puffs
MADE BY: Japan Frito-Lay
PRODUCT OF: Tokyo
FLAVOR: Savory
VEGETARIAN: No
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Fish, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: Mollusk Shellfish
Takoyaki is a classic Japanese street food made by pan-frying batter in a specially-shaped pan to form little fried balls with tako (octopus) in the center. It’s often topped with a variety of flavorful toppings. These light corn puffs are the perfect balance of sweet and savory umami-rich flavor.
Okayama Maple Cream Pancake
MADE BY: Tanabe
PRODUCT OF: Okayama
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
This snack smells like a cozy breakfast in bed and will bring a smile to your face as you open the package. Inside are two soft pancakes sandwiching a maple buttercream filling for a breakfast snack on the go.
Choco Monaka
MADE BY: Riska
PRODUCT OF: Okayama
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
In this snack, traditional monaka meets a candy bar. Monaka are a type of Japanese confection with two mochi wafers enclosing a filling, traditionally made of sweet red or white bean paste. Instead this snack is filled with chocolate-covered puffed rice!
Chocolate Banana Langue De Chat Cookie
MADE BY: Fuubian
PRODUCT OF: Tokyo
FLAVOR: Sweet
VEGETARIAN: Yes
COMMON ALLERGENS: Milk, Wheat, Soy
ALSO CONTAINS: N/A
This chocolate banana langue de chat holds a rich banana sweet cream sandwiched between two crispy chocolate biscuits. Chocolate bananas are a popular summer treat in Japan. This fruity cookie brings the delightful flavor of summer as a sweet little treat.