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Nov 1, 2017

Japan's Ever-expanding Limited Edition Chocolates

So if you're like me, you enjoy Japan's wide range of sweet treats, especially those that come from the chocolate aisle.  Ever since I was a little kid, I've enjoyed Pocky, Toppo, Takenoko no Sato, Kinoko no Yama, Alfort, Pie no Mi, and the list goes on and on.


Of course, when I was a kid, there were almost never limited editions of those brands of chocolates (Pocky was the only routine exception).  Now, however, you can't go to a store without seeing at least one variant of the traditional brands. 


At first, the limited editions were simple: instead of milk chocolate, it would be strawberry flavored chocolate.  That's easy enough, right?  


Then they branched out even further: white chocolate & dark chocolate.  Oh boy, now they're really changing things up.


Well, over time every brand has been trying to one up the other, introducing collaborations (like Komeda Coffee and Pie no Mi--which was delicious, by the way) and pushing the envelope on new flavors (the cough syrup-flavored kit kats were an example of one that went too far).


But I ran into this limited edition that seemed to the be the ultimate symbol of just how far Japan has gone with its limited edition flavors:


Japan's Ever-expanding Limited Edition Chocolates photo


Japanese style Kinako Latte Koala March.  What started off as a simple milk chocolate-filled biscuit with cute koalas printed on the outside has reached a point where it has roasted soybean latte (not just kinako OR latte, but BOTH), complete with limited edition koalas dressed in traditional Japanese clothing just to reinforce the "Japanese style" limited edition factor.


Look, don't get me wrong, these are delicious, just as most other limited editions are, but I'm just saying that I'm impressed with how far Japanese companies are willing to go to attract the "limited edition"-loving consumers out there.


I just wonder how much further they'll go... 

genkidesuka

genkidesuka

Hitting the books once again as a Ph.D. student in Niigata Prefecture. Although I've lived in Japan many years, life as a student in this country is a first.

Blessed Dad. Lucky Husband. Happy Gaijin (most of the time).


1 Comment

  • helloalissa

    on Nov 1

    I bought these too but haven't tried them yet. Maybe they know there are snackers who love trying all the weird flavors? Sweet snacks make fun souvenirs as well (especially for anyone who's scared to try the scarier looking snacks).