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Candys/snacks not in Japan 2009/3/22 08:44
I am leaving for Sophia University in about a week and am putting together a few small things for my host family. I want to bring some US snacks candy as has been suggested in other threads, but I am curious how to know if the item is sold in Japan. ie: I don't want to give them a Hershey Bar if they are sold in every Tokyo grocery store. Thanks!
by bgalfond  

chocolate 2009/3/22 20:41
Hershey's kisses are well known here, but not so much the bars. One thing that always comes up in this kind of discussion is Reese's cups- there are great chocolate bars in Japan so a Hershey's bar is not that special, but there is nothing like Reese's cups here.
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

Give them what you really like 2009/3/22 21:53
If you live in the Westcoast, See's Candies would be a treat. See's now has a shop in Harajuku, but that's the only one in Tokyo, and everybody likes them. I also enjoy instant mixes, such as cheese macaroni sauce mix, that friends get me from supermarkets in the U.S.

Anyway, nowadays there is no legal American product you cannot get here in Japan. So why not choose whatever is your favorite rather than to look for something unique.
by Uco (guest) rate this post as useful

a few suggestions... 2009/3/23 13:58
KitKat bars are all over the place here (in many different flavors)...Reeses products are definitely rare - my Japanese teacher knew about Reeses Peanut butter cups, but had never heard of Reeses Pieces. I see Snickers bars fairly often, but not Milky Way or Three Muskateers).

I have never seen Skittles, Starbursts, Twizzlers, or Sour Patch Kids anywhere, including at international grocery stores. There are gummy candies of other sorts widely available at convenience stores, but they're usually in packages that contain only one flavor, not assorted flavors like (most of) the candies mentioned above.

If your hometown has any local or regional candy specialties - I brought back "turtles" (pecan and caramel clusters covered in chocolate) as omiyage once and they were a hit in my office. Alternatively, you could bring something seasonal (Easter, Halloween, or Valentine's Day themed treats) depending on when you are arriving.

Hope this helps! I'm sure your host family will appreciate anything you bring to share.
by candy lover (guest) rate this post as useful

My list 2009/3/24 16:20
Stuff I brought back from the states:

- CORNNUTS (this was a must for me!!)
- Skittles, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids (as previously mentioned)
- Fruit roll-up type candies (ie Fruit By The Foot)
- Licorice
by Bean (guest) rate this post as useful

some more ideas 2009/3/24 17:46
almond joy
reese's pieces

by oski (guest) rate this post as useful

Not Licorice 2009/3/24 18:26
I (JP F) personally like licorice, but for most Japanese people it is not their taste! (Actually many Japanese people find it disgusting...)

So bring some licorice so that your host family can try out but if you do, please warn them that they might find the taste very strange, also bring something else as well. :)
by . (guest) rate this post as useful

not liquorice 2009/3/25 10:44
I agree with the above- generally speaking, giving liquorice to Japanese people is a waste of good liquorice. I have never seen a Japanese person try a piece of liquorice without pulling a face, and in some cases even spitting it out.

Bring something they might actually be able to eat and enjoy...
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2009/3/25 10:54
Wow thanks for all the comments! I will grab some reeses then for sure. I may bring some licorice just for them to try (hey, I had a friend bring me natto... though I did actually like it). I am from florida too, and since I can't bring oranges I was thinking orange blossom honey.

Oh, and would they have plantain chips? I would think not, but may as well ask.
by bgalfond rate this post as useful

... 2009/3/25 16:56
Liquorice Allsorts. I say this without knowledge of their presence or absense in Japan. But with the knowledge that I don't really like plain liquorice, but I LOVE Liquorice Allsorts. I also say this without the knowledge of their presence or absense in America either... :/

Also, they were first created in my home city, Sheffield :)
by Original Brian (guest) rate this post as useful

not allsorts either 2009/3/25 18:59
I can confirm that Japanese people dislike liquorice allsorts almost as much as they do plain liquorice. If you don't like liquorice you don't like it in any form, and it is pretty strong tasting stuff.
by Sira (guest) rate this post as useful

Milkyways 2009/4/3 05:35
Bring milkyways!! i was on a huge milkyway kick on my last trip to japan and i could not find one anywhere!! i found one in an imported food section of a supermarket, but it wasn't even a US milkyway. it was european and it didnt even have caramel!!!
by Eric S (guest) rate this post as useful

... 2009/4/6 07:27
just to follow up, I brought some licorice and only one person in the family liked it, but the rest still got a kick out of trying it.

thanks for all the responses
by bgalfond rate this post as useful

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