Popular Japanese Snacks You Need to Try

• Explore Traditional Japanese Sweets: Discover classic sweets beloved for their rich cultural roots, delicate craftsmanship, and timeless flavors.
• Modern Twists on Timeless Treats: Traditional sweets have evolved with creative fillings and convenient packaging, making them perfect for enjoying on the go.
• Dagashi: Sweet Nostalgia in a Wrapper: These fun, affordable treats are a nostalgic staple for generations of Japanese children.
• Snack Culture Worth Savoring: From market-fresh wagashi to playful dagashi, Japanese snacks blend tradition, innovation, and joy.

There’s truly something for everyone when it comes to Japan’s famously fun and rich food culture, and there are plenty of reasons to be inspired! Are you one of those people who instantly get hungry when you see those iconic and mouthwatering foods from a Studio Ghibli scene? Perhaps you’ve lived in Japan or even just visited and fell in love with a favorite food or snack that's just not quite the same anywhere else. Or are you someone who just loves cooking and wants to add a touch of authentic Japanese flair to a dish? 

At Plaza Japan, we’re ready to serve up some of our favorites from the wide world of Japan’s food culture. So, whether you’re a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to wagashi, or traditional Japanese confections, you’re a globe-trotting foodie, or just in the mood to start trying Japanese snacks, get ready to tuck in to some of our must-tries of popular Japanese snacks!

Sweet Treats

Japanese food is a lot less sweet overall than many other types of foods, but all that means is that Japanese desserts, candies, and other goodies pack a punch that even the pickiest sweet tooth would find irresistible! 

Go Traditional

The original thing is always hard to beat, and wagashi sweets remain popular Japanese snacks for many reasons: after all, traditional Japanese treats mean generations of history, craftsmanship, and artisanship, as well as cherished recipes in the making and with different regional specialties. Some of the most well-known of these include:

• Mochi: The quintessential Japanese treat! It’s made with a squishy rice paste, and can be filled with a variety of different sweet flavors. There are many varieties of mochi, including daifuku. The most well-known is adzuki, or red bean paste, black sesame, and matcha. More modern takes can include fun fruity varieties and even chocolates. 
• Dorayaki: Essentially, these are pancake sandwiches, with adzuki beans being the most common filling.
• Taiyaki: These are soft waffles grilled in the shape of a fish, and most traditionally are also filled with adzuki beans. Because these sweet fish have made a splash on the food scene, taiyaki are also enjoyed with other fun fillings, including custard, more savory options like cheese, and even ice cream with taiyaki as the cone.
• Dango: Served on skewers, dango are mochi-like rice dumplings that are grilled and covered with a sweet sauce, which can be a sweet version of teriyaki sauce or - you guessed it - adzuki-based!

While nothing beats trying these popular Japanese snacks fresh at a market or festival stall, there are many ways to package wagashi for fun on the go, whether through innovative packaging or remixes of classic favorites. 

More Modern Morsels

Thanks to wagashi, a new form of popular Japanese snacks emerged to create a new tradition: dagashi! These are a staple for anyone who grew up in Japan over the last several generations, because dagashi were created to be both novel and inexpensive enough that a child could enjoy something sweet with their pocket money. 

The tradition continues in the forms of some of the most fun and even zany candies you can find, from wagashi-like creations to seasonal delights to fun anime-themed candies. And when it comes to candies that feature new anime, you can bet there’s a good chance that there is a flavor or design that is a clever power boost to your fandom.

Savory Snacks

If you’re in the mood for more salty and savory things over sweet, there’s an incredible variety to choose from. Similar to sweet foods, many are still both enjoyed as they were traditionally, as well as in new, modern forms: 

• Nori galore! This dried seaweed is a staple that is a foundation of Japanese cooking, to the point that it serves as its own snack. Similarly, even a simple snack of rice with furikake, or a combination of seasoning, seaweed, bonito or salmon flakes, and sesame seeds, is a comfort food that hits the spot.
• Seafood snacks: It’s no secret that Japanese cuisine is very fish-heavy, and that includes savory, popular Japanese snacks! Dried squid is another authentic Japanese snack worth trying.
• Street foods: Takoyaki (fried octopus and dough balls), okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes with various toppings), and onigiri (rice balls) deserve a shout-out. These traditional street foods are so loved that snack makers found ways to make them ready for the aisles at the conbini (convenience store).
• Senbei are toasted crackers that come in a variety of different flavors. Common flavors include nori, toasted nuts, and seafood. Plain senbei are also the snack of choice for the deer of Nara.
• Chips: they are not traditional, but who doesn’t love potatoes? In addition to the seafood-flavored ones, look for other hits that include nori, Japanese curry! 
• Ramen, of course! The selection of Japanese instant ramen is simply staggering. Which should you try? The answer is yes. Also, yes, there is ramen in chip form.

A Snack for All Seasons

Still not sure where to start when trying Japanese snacks? 

One pro tip from us: go with the seasons! In Japan, a lot of importance is placed on seasonal and limited release items. That means it’s important to enjoy something when it’s available, whether it’s special for pairing with the sakura blossoms or as a cozy winter indulgence. These are Japanese snacks that are popular for many reasons, one of them being that once they’re gone, they're gone! So, just like many of our goods at Plaza Japan, if you see something that sparks joy, it’s best to go for it while it’s still available.

Another pro tip: snacks always go better with friends! Popular and novelty Japanese snacks make amazing gifts for any occasion, including as thoughtful “thinking of you” care packages. And who knows? Maybe they’ll end up sharing some back with you!

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