One of my favourite all time chocolate snacks is the Kit Kat – who could possibly say no to bite sized wafers coated with chocolate! So you could imagine my excitement when I discovered that Japan actually sells unique flavours dependent on the region. I first discovered this thanks to a colleague of mine who has a Kit Kat collecting hobby and since I was in Japan, I set out to find some for myself.
Nestle Japan has produced over 200 different flavours of the beloved Kit Kat chocolate since the year 2000, so it would seem particularly easy to find some flavours. My first stops were naturally the supermarkets and convenience stores, but alas the only flavours I could find time after time were the original ones – milk, white and dark. How frustrating! I noticed that at the main train stations of each city I visited though, there was always a large tourist/souvenir store selling a variety of packaged foods and goods unique to the region. And hurrah! This is where I finally stumbled upon special Kit Kats packaged in special boxes which each contain 12 smaller pieces each. And so the tasting begins…
1. Brown sugar
This tastes like maple syrup and I find it quite weird tasting. I don’t think the flavour suits a Kit Kat but my friend likes it.
2. Shinshu Apple
Milk chocolate based with hints of apple. It smells quite strongly of apple when you open the wrapper but the taste isn’t that strong.
3. Green Tea
Milky and creamy chocolate with strong green tea flavours. Tastes exactly like green tea ice cream except in chocolate/wafer form.
4. Strawberry Cheesecake
White chocolate based but tastes like strawberry shortcake. Very similar to the Blueberry Cheesecake flavour except with strawberries.
5. Cinnamon Cookie
White chocolate based with a cinnamon flavour wafer, tasty!
6. Chilli
Dark chocolate based infused with chilli. It is quite interesting and leaves a slight tingling sensation on my tongue.
7. Blueberry Cheesecake
White chocolate based with blueberry hints – super delicious!
8. Houjicha (roasted green tea)
Despite the name, it tastes nothing like green tea but rather like a roasted rice tea. Very aromatic and one of my favourites!
I did eye a couple of other flavours including a collectors pack at the airport which contained around 15 flavours with 2 pieces of each in the box, but the flavours I ended up buying where the ones which caught my eye…plus I was running out of baggage with all my shopping! Overall, I wish Nestle would be a bit more innovative and produce some funky limited edition Australian flavours, but until then if you head to Japan do keep a look out for some unique variants on the classic Kitkat flavours. My top picks are the Houjicha and Cheesecake flavours.
View Comments (25)
wow so much amazing and unique Kit Kat flavours! my workplace gives out Kit Kats pretty frequently to new clients so handing out one of these would have been interesting
You should get your workplace to start importing them straight from Japan!
Love the green tea flavour kit kat! But the houjicha one sounds really nice - will keep an eye out for that one when I'm in Japan next
i am so jelaous. when i was in japan i only found a few boring ones like green tea and sakura ( which didnt smell like the flowers) so impressed with your kit kat collection!
Yeh, they're a bit hard to find. You just need to know where, it took me a while. Check the equivalent Central Station of each city :)
I would like to try the blueberry cheesecake! It sounds amazing. Puts the traditional ones we have here in Australia to shame.
YES! This is one of the things I love about being in Japan, eating ALL the sweet treats! Love the green tea Kit Kat
I want to try the Houjica now :( I love that roasted rice taste. You can't get this flavour in Sydney can you ?
I haven't been able to find them! I did find green tea once at an Asian supermarket in the city but it closed down several years ago. My friend did mention she managed to find green tea at Macquarie Uni. But not the other flavours unfortunately :(
I've been trying to find these kitkats :( where in Macquarie Uni? you mean the asian shop at the hub or down to macq center? thank you in advance! :D
Yeh from the Asian store that was at the Hub. Apparently it’s closed down now though :(
Everytime my friend goes to Japan she brings me back some. I have tried a rockmelon one too, that was amazing!
ooo nice! Sounds interesting :)
So lucky my bf's sister brought me back a whole stash from her recent trip to japan. I try to not remind myself that I have it because i'll keep on eating it!
I've been dying to try some but buying it from Australia will burn a hole in my pocket! :p
I can't remember the price at Japan, I think it wasn't relatively similar to here as you end up buying a box with many smaller kit kats
Bought some Passionfruit Kit Kat a few days ago from a Japanese store in Sydney CBD. Taste good. Strong aroma when you open the wrapper. The matcha/green tea ones were there as well.
At the same store over the last few months I have also had Strawberry (my favourite), Raspberry, Matcha, and Vanilla ice cream. A few weeks ago, I saw Matcha & Sakura.
I wish they would re-issue the Soy sauce flavour so I can try it. It was only available in Tokyo for a limited time.
Nice find! Where is the store in the CBD?
I got the Kit Kat from:
Pittsway Arcade, 303 Pitt Street, Sydney.
(Not far from corner of Park St)
Ground floor - at the back of the arcade.
Shop is called 'Japanese Asian Grocery 8' aka 'Konbini 8'.
I also saw some in an Asian shop in the basement of a building on the corner of the George & Bathurst Sts (HSBC Building?). Part of the shop is Daiso. On the right side of the shop at the back is the candy/snack shelves.
Thanks for the heads up! I'll be sure to check it out since I'm not heading back to Japan anytime soon :(