12 Must-Try Japanese Snacks

With unique flavour combos and cute, colourful packaging, Japanese snack culture is renowned worldwide. Whether you’re a lover of all things sweet or always have a packet of crisps on hand, there are plenty of much-loved Japanese snacks to sink your teeth into.

Take a look at some of our favourite Japanese snacks available in the UK to discover a new favourite!

The Best Japanese Savoury Snacks

For all things umami and savoury, this selection has got some unbeatable picks.

• Calbee Grill-A-Corn Chips
• Calbee Potato Chips
• Senbei Crackers
• Seaweed Snacks
• Calbee Prawn Crackers
• Pretz

1. Calbee Grill-A-Corn Chips

Calbee are one of the go-to crisp/chip brands in Japan, and no snack list would be complete without mentioning them. Calbee chips come in various moreish variations, with their popular Grill-A-Corn selection offering crunchy corn sticks in flavours like barbecue, fried garlic and lobster.

2. Calbee Potato Chips

Calbee’s potato chip snacks are also a popular choice, with several options to satisfy your crisp cravings! Choose from things like pizza, seaweed, curry original Calbee potato chips and more for that perfect hit of savoury crunch.

3. Senbei Crackers

Senbei are traditional Japanese rice crackers, often enjoyed as an alternative to crisps. They are crispy, light and flavoured with a savoury seasoning (although you can also find sweet senbei). They’re a great snack for any time of day and are frequently eaten accompanied by green tea.

Want Want are a popular Taiwanese brand particularly known for their senbei crackers.

4. Seaweed Snacks

Seaweed is becoming an increasingly popular snack all over the world; it is particularly enjoyed in various Asian countries, including Japan. Usually sold as sheets or chips, seaweed snacks are packed with nutrients and delicious umami flavour.

For a rundown of our favourite flavours and variations, check out our blog.

5. Calbee Prawn Crackers

Calbee have even more to entice you – their prawn crackers are crunchy with a salty seafood taste, offering another great alternative for when you get bored of your usual crisp choices.

6. Pretz

Pretz are the savoury counterpart to Pocky, consisting of a crunchy, pretzel-like biscuit stick flavoured with different savoury seasonings. It’s certainly not hard to find yourself eating your way through a whole box of these. Classic Pretz flavours include tomato, pizza and Caesar salad.

The Best Japanese Sweet Treats

For those of you with a sweet tooth, these Japanese sweet treats are some of the best around!

• Pocky
• Mochi
• Hello Panda Biscuits
• Dorayaki
• Tohato Caramel Corn
• UHA Mikakuto Candy

1. Pocky

Pocky are among some of Japan’s most famous snacks, and it's easy to see why they’re so well-loved. The long, thin biscuit sticks offer a delicate crunch, while the sweet, chocolatey coating will keep you coming back for more. Popular flavours include cookies and cream, strawberry and matcha.

For a list of our top flavours, check out our Pocky guide.

2. Mochi

Another go-to sweet snack is, of course, mochi. The dough – made from glutinous rice flour – is usually wrapped around a sweet filling – red bean or sesame are traditional, but nowadays, you’ll find a range of tasty flavours, including mango, peanut and green tea. You can get individually wrapped mochi balls that make the perfect little snacks or handmade mochi packs for a decadent dessert!

3. Hello Panda Biscuits

Japanese snacks really stand out when it comes to cute mascots and packaging, and Hello Panda biscuits don’t disappoint on cuteness or flavour! These hollow shortbread biscuits made by Meiji are filled with sweet fillings of varying flavours. Each biscuit features an image of the panda character that gives them their name. Flavours include chocolate, strawberry, matcha and more.

4. Dorayaki

This is another traditional Japanese treat. Dorayaki is essentially two pancakes sandwiched together that enclose a sweet filling. Popular fillings include red bean, custard and fresh fruit and cream. You can get them fresh (like our Wagashi Custard Dorayaki) or multi-packs you can keep in the cupboard (like our Marukyo Original Pancake Dorayaki).

5. ​​Tohato Caramel Corn

Tohato Caramel Corn is a unique snack made up of crunchy pieces of puffed corn. Each corn piece is covered in a caramel glaze for a hint of sweetness. With some roasted peanuts thrown into the mix for a touch of umami flavour, this snack ends up being incredibly moreish.

6. UHA Mikakuto Candy

UHA Mikakuto produce a great range of candy and sweets, with lots of refreshing fruit and soda flavours to explore. UHA Puccho sweets are particularly popular, offering soft, chewy individual candies that any fan of all things sugary will enjoy!

We’ve covered just some of our favourite Japanese snacks here, but there are plenty more to discover, not to mention the fantastic selection of snacks we stock from other countries, including Korea, China, Thailand and much more.

Ensure your snack cupboard is fully stocked with our online Japanese supermarket!