What snacks can I take to Japan?

Hi, I'm flying to Tokyo in a few months and I was thinking of taking some snacks to cut back on how much I will need to spend on food in Japan (plus my girlfriend is a very picky eater). I was wondering if anyone knows if I can take the following into Japan:

- Dairy Milk
- Caramel Dairy Milk
- Chewits
- Freddos
- Time Outs
- Mars Bars
- Fruit flavoured Mentos
- Snickers
- Skittles
- Kitkats
- Smarties
- Malteasers

Thank you :)

Don't know what the legalities are; trying to sneak in shrink wrapped candy but the snacks are better in Japan. You'd be doing major disservice to your pallette if you didn't sample the local offerings.

most people try to find as many of the 29 different flavoured kit kats to bring back home, not the other way around.

with the exception of processed cheese, mars bars & skittles, the rest of your list can be found in tokyo but the japanese style chocolate snacks are different & more refined compared to mass produced north american junk.

You only live once. Tokyo and the rest of japan ain't the place to skimp. Don't be frightened by the ATM machines that only spit out $100 bills ;)

honestly you can take anything you want. If you feel like security will stop you at the airport then just put the food in your check in bags and they will meet you over in Tokyo when you pick your bags up.

I needed to save money on my trip when I went so I packed a bunch of granola bars, candy, cookies, nuts, and other things of that sort in my actual carry on and no one said anything to me.

The only thing I'm pretty sure that won't get through is the milks. I have no idea on how you would try to transport that on a plane since you can't even bring on water bottles unless you buy them after security check.

I'm sure though you will be able to find that in any Tokyo super market. They do have milk there despite what some people may think.

Happy travels!

honestly you can take anything you want. If you feel like security will stop you at the airport then just put the food in your check in bags and they will meet you over in Tokyo when you pick your bags up.

I don't like this idea. Countries have quarantine and import restrictions for a reason and it is pretty arrogant to assume that you can "take anything you want" as long as you don't get caught.

If you do this travelling to Australia you'll get fined at least $220 and the penalties can be a lot more severe depending on what food you are trying to bring with you.

If you feel like wading through the list it will clarify some things:-
http://www.pps.go.jp/english/faq/index.html
http://www.pps.go.jp/english/law/list2.html

Like others have said, enjoy exploring new foods while you are in Japan. Eating Japanese food and snacks is usually one of the many highlights of our trips.

Enjoy your trip!

I'm sure KamaCarrze was referring to the Cadbury chocolate bar called "Dairy Milk" when he mentioned that, not simply liquid milk :)

Most of those Cadbury and other snack/chocolate bars are imported and available in Japan, so I would not bring those... maybe carry just a few as emergency food supply JUST IN CASE your girlfriend really can't eat anything local in Japan :) For the rest, I hope the two of you enjoy traveling AND trying out different food while you are in Japan!

man cannot live on chocolates and lollies alone.

I'm from England by the way. We will be trying the food (although my girlfriend has tried Japanese food before and dislikes it).

Does anyone know if any of the things in that list are prohibited? And if I accidentally take something that is prohibited into Japan will I be fined? Thank you.

I don't like this idea. Countries have quarantine and import restrictions for a reason and it is pretty arrogant to assume that you can ''take anything you want'' as long as you don't get caught.

Sorry I should have been more specific. By 'anything' I meant mainly snacks and candies in general not just ANYTHING (I shouldn't have tried to post at 1:30am after a New Years Party =P). Yes, please don't break international law! Fresh fruits and live plants are pretty much a no no when traveling. By your list though it seems your just talking about general snack products so you should have no problems with what you want to bring. I speak from my experience of traveling.

Traveling back from Canada my friends mother insisted I put a bunch of food in my carry on bag to bring back with me. She put in freshly made jam, cheese, and a whole bunch of candies and Canadian snacks. I really thought the jam wouldn't have made it back but everything was safe and secure in my bag when I returned home.

When traveling to China/Hong Kong I needed to bring a lot of extra snacks with me since I didn't control when I got to eat and was going to be there for almost 20 days (traveled with a student group). So I packed a box of granola bars, some chips and cookies mainly for the first few days, cashews, trail mix, and other easy to pack snacks. Everything made it and I was able to save some money and sometimes my friend's empty stomachs.

Coming back from China I actually bought a dried fruit and flower tea that I really thought wouldn't get through, but I wanted to try since I knew my mom would love it. I packed it in my carry on because I figured if they were going to not let it through I rather them tell me right away then find out when I got home. When I got back to the states and had to re-check in, security stopped my bag (as I had a feeling they would) and the guy simply opened the container, asked me what it was (which I truthfully told him a fruit and flower tea), but when he opened it and saw it was all dried up fruits and flowers and not fresh and live ones with seeds in them, he said it was fine and let me go on my way. My mom was very happy when she saw what I brought her.

Traveling to Japan I was going to stay with a home-stay family and I wanted to bring snacks not only to save money but to also show my family some American foods. I packed a taco kit which had a pack of salsa inside of it along with my usual travel snacks and everything got through, and now my home-stay dad insists that when I return I must make tacos for them again.

My own Japanese teacher (whom I traveled with) brought A LOT of things with her to give as gifts to her friends. She packed one 4ft tall suitcase filled with soaps and lotions from bath and body works and another large suitcase filled with general American foods like mac and cheese, clam chowder, fettuccine pasta packets, and so on. She travels to Japan every year like that and says she's never had a problem before.

So KamaCarrze, you really shouldn't have any problems getting your own snacks to Japan. Like every one else is saying though, do try new foods and flavors over in Japan because they have some of the best!

I'm sure KamaCarrze was referring to the Cadbury chocolate bar called ''Dairy Milk'' when he mentioned that, not simply liquid milk :)

lol that makes more sense! Thank you for letting me know that haha

Thank you all, and thanks for the detailed explanation Kat. Very helpful! :D

not really any restrictions on bringing in junk food, just plants, animals & beef

"although my girlfriend has tried Japanese food before and dislikes it"
What has she tried? There's a lot more to Japanese cuisine than sushi, tempura and other dishes commonly found in other countries. I doubt she's had a varied range.