Mikan Big Little Kit Kat

It's getting harder and harder for me to buy Kit Kats. When I was in Japan I could rationalize purchasing just about anything. I would buy Strawberry Kit Kats with only the slightest of variations if I found them in the 7-11 across the street. Purin Kit Kats in different incarnations - Chunky, Little, Mini, Regular from the Sunkus next to Toyohashi Station were a snore after awhile but they were there so why not?

Now that I'm back in the States and buying my Kit Kats online the thought of paying shipping for yet another Purin or Strawberry Kit Kat isn't as easy to rationalize. The latest craze in the Kit Kat world is releasing existing flavors but as Big Little Kit Kat. Big Little is pretty much the definition of an oxymoron and not enough of a twist to convince me to spend the money on international shipping. I did shell out for the Mikan Big Little Kit Kat but it will be my last. Only truly new flavors from here on out - or until I go into Kit Kat withdraw.

I did break down and buy the Mikan Big Little Kit Kat even though I've had other orange Kit Kats before. I rationalize it by telling myself I haven't had mikan yet. But still, it's really nothing very new. I challenge Nestle to wow me with some truly new flavors that I can get excited about.

But until then...the Mikan Big Little Kit Kat has 224 calories. In my little pack I got 9 large milk chocolate cubes. It's hard to tell if these are really bigger since I don't have a Little Little Kit Kat to compare too but I'd say the difference is minimal. They smelled orange-y although it was more of a kitchen cleaner citrus smell than of a ripe juicy mikan (mandarin orange). The taste was less artificial and really more of an afterthought rather than a dominant flavor, which I actually approved of. The cream was very creamy. The milk chocolate paired nicely with the orange flavor for an overall great tasting snack.

I've had other orange incarnations but this might be one of my favorite. It actually makes me wonder if I shouldn't go ahead and just buy more of the Big Little versions after all. Thoughts?

Final Score: 7


This is my first post since the quake and tsunami in Japan. I hope that any of my readers living in that area are safe and sound. Personally, I'm relieved to report that all friends and acquaintances are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with those in the quake zone and I encourage you to donate to the relief effort, specifically to the Japanese Red Cross.

Happy New Year!

Or akemashite omedetou as they say in Japanese. 2010 was a good year in many respects and by my count I tried 40 new and different Kit Kats.

I have 4 flavors waiting in the wings and we're heading into testing season in Japan which always leads to lots of new flavors as Nestle tries to convince parents that they should buy their beleaguered students a Kit Kat as a token of encouragement. In the meantime start the new year off right by checking out the reviews below from some of my fellow snack bloggers.

Ebidebby at Snack Love reviews the Kokutou and Kinako Kit Kat.

Candyblog reviews the SemiSweet and Bitter Almond Kit Kats.

And for a few versions I won't be trying- Orchid64 at Japanese Snack Reviews gives her take on Little Big Kit Kat Mikan (isn't little big contradictory?) and also a crispier version the Otoshidama Kit Kat.

Here's to 2011 and what I hope will be many more inspired flavors from our friends at Nestle Japan!

Happy Halloween!

I hope you've all dressed up and eaten too much candy. My favorites are smarties, Reese's and of course Kit Kats.

My treat for you tonight is a link to a website here in the States that sells Japanese Kit Kats. They are in San Francisco so the shipping is likely to be better from NapaJapan. The only downside is that they don't appear to get the newer flavors as quickly but if you're just getting started or willing to wait then I encourage you to check out AsianFoodGrocer.com.

Kit Kats turn 75

The future of this blog

If you've been reading this blog for the last couple of months or if you follow me on Twitter then you know that this was my last year in Japan. I came home to Ohio two weeks ago and as of now I have no immediate plans to return to the land of crazy Kit Kat flavors.

I am both sad and happy about this. I'm sad because I loved my inaka town, my Japanese friends, and hunting for new Kit Kats. I'm happy to be home because I missed my parents, my adorable nephew, and my American friends. But besides general homesickness I had a really good reason to come home and that is because both of my sisters are pregnant! This winter I will have a new niece and a new nephew.

Blah, blah, blah, who cares about babies right? What about the chocolate? you're asking. Well don't worry just because I can't scour the shelves of my local conbini for Kit Kats doesn't mean I can't keep up this blog. I hope to keep the Kit Kat love alive by ordering them online. That does mean that I probably won't be updating quite as often as I have in the past but keep your eyes peeled because there will be new reviews.

Until then let me know what Kit Kats you are trying and what you think of them!

Where to find Kit Kats

I've been traveling recently and when not doing that I've been gorging myself on all the Easter candy my mom brought me from the States. (I have the best mom ever!) So no reviews at the moment. Sorry!

In the meantime though I'd like to answer a question that I get a lot and that is "where do you get all of these crazy flavored Kit Kats? And more importantly where can I get them?"

The obvious answer is Japan. I live here, way out in the cabbage fields yes, but I still have a 7-11 across the street from my apartment so that's where my search usually starts. If you are lucky enough to also live here then you should start by looking in your neighborhood conbini.

Be aware though that not every convenient store will have each variety of Kit Kat. I've determined that my 7-11 only carries every other special edition Kit Kat so I also check the three conbinis near the train station in the next town over. (I go there once a month or so to meet friends for drinks and to hit up the international food store.) I've gone in one store and found one variety only to visit the next and found a different one. You have to be relentless in your search if you want to try every Kit Kat out there. They certainly don't make it easy.

I usually check the Nestle website to keep track of what I should be looking for. They change flavors every 6 weeks or so, so don't pass up a flavor thinking you will buy it later. A lot of what you see on this blog is already gone.

Regional Special Editions such as the Wasabi Kit Kat, Yuzu Kosho Kit Kat, or the Citrus Blend Kit Kat stick around a little longer and can be bought in the regions they come from, usually in the train station or in shops selling omiyage. Some of them can be purchased online but not all of them. In fact, I'm planning a trip to Sendai in part because I really want the Zunda Kit Kat and the Sakura Kit Kat and they aren't offered anywhere online that I can find.

But what if you don't live in Japan? You can also try crazy Japanese Kit Kats but there's less skulking in conbinis to do. My favorite site to order through is napaJapan. They are pretty good about having up to date Kit Kats and if I really can't find something in the stores then this is my next stop. Their prices are very reasonable and they ship internationally.

I've never ordered from them but the other site that I see recommended a lot is jlist. They have a variety of products from Japan - including recent Kit Kat flavors. You might also try any Asian grocers or international food stores in your area. If they don't offer any then try asking if they could start.

If you are my sister or best friend then you get your Kit Kat fix through me sending Kit Kats through the mail. So if you don't live in Japan but know someone who does then try asking them to send you some. (But not me because all of my extras go to the aforementioned best friend and sister.)

So there you have it. That's where I get my Kit Kats. Where do you get yours? Does anyone have any other suggestions for places to look? Say for example where I can get Zunda Kit Kats without schlepping all the way to Sendai?

Chocollabo Kit Kat

If a regular Kit Kat is too boring for you don't worry because Nestle has you covered. Oh, you don't like crazy flavors like Rose Kit Kat or Kinako Ohagi Kit Kat? Well, that's okay too. Even if you do here are some Kit Kats that are personalized by you for any special occasion. They probably work for random days too but they're kind of expensive. In the Nestle lab (by which I mean the internet) you can create your very own Kit Kat box with pictures, stamps, and cutesy writing. It's like purikura but on a Kit Kat box!

The site is all in Japanese and they charge 2,100 yen for a box of 10 Kit Kats. If those are the larger boxes with two packs inside then that's a pretty fair price. If it's a box of 10 minis then I might balk. It's a super cute idea for party favors I think and I'm soooo tempted but I don't have any special occasions to warrant buying them. Maybe when I leave Japan I could give them as goodbye presents. Until then you'll find me perusing the pictures of Kit Kat boxes featuring newlyweds, babies, and small dogs.

Check it out - Chocollabo Kit Kat.

Bananas or Kit Kats?

BBC News has put together a nice little pros and cons list of bananas vs. Kit Kats. Personally, I like them both and I even have a Banana Kit Kat to review soon so maybe this will all be moot.

So what do you think? Bananas or Kit Kat in a snack stand-off - which wins?

Kit Kat Gokaku Mug

I've mentioned before the play on words that make Kit Kats a popular item to give students around exam time. Kitto katsu in Japanese translates to surely you will win. So a gokaku mug or pentagon shaped mug is a fitting promotion. Gokaku is a play on words that translates to luck. Since it's exam time here in Japan for stressed out junior high school students trying to get into a good high school as well as stressed out high school kids trying to get into a good college a good luck mug with a packet of Nescafe Cafe Au Lait and a Kit Kat bar makes for a nice encouraging gift.

If I didn't have around 400 students getting ready to graduate and move up to high school then I might buy them all one. Instead I will sit in my apartment, sipping Nescafe, and thanking God I'm no longer in school.

A Random Combination

I know the last time I had some mouth watering fudge I thought, "you know what would go with this? Some Camembert cheese!" Oh wait, that wasn't me, that was Nestle. I found this in a Lawson's in Aso and was so confused by the random pairing of Camembert and Fudge that I wasn't even sure that I was reading it right.

"Do you think this is cheese flavored Kit Kats or Kit Kat shaped cheese?" I asked my friend.

Turns out it was Fudge Kit Kats and Kit Kat shaped blobs of dehydrated cheese flavored sticks claiming to be Camembert. It might say "The Excellent" on the package but that would be false advertising. I'm not saying that cheese and chocolate can't go together (hello chocolate cheesecake!) but Japan has this weird thing about putting the wrong kinds of cheese with chocolate like the cheddar cheese chocolate I tried at 100% Chocolate Cafe in Tokyo.

It was, however, a good excuse to have some more Fudge Kit Kats. I just wish I could have had more of the chocolate and less of the fake cheese.

Kit Kats I won't be eating anytime soon :-(

As hard as I try it is impossible for me to try every Kit Kat flavor available in the world, but luckily there are some other amazing bloggers who pick up the slack. Here are two reviews of two Kit Kats I won't be able to try anytime soon due to lack of availability.

Kit Kat Mild Bitter from Japanese Snack Reviews is a special edition Kit Kat that is so special it's only sold in one store in Japan. Too bad too because I would love a dark chocolate Kit Kat.

Peanut Butter Kit Kat Chunky from Snack Love is a British Kit Kat so that makes it hard to get here in Japan.

Check them out!

Kit Kats in the news

This piece in the news explains why there are so many different kinds of Kit Kats in Japan.

What it doesn't explain is why my 7-11 hasn't stocked the Ginger Ale Kit Kat yet. It looks like once again I will have to spread my net wider in an effort to get my hands on one.

Check it out!

Sports Drink Kit Kat (or lack thereof)

I despair of ever finding a Sports Drink Kit Kat. It was released this summer while I was in the States visiting family and even though I've been searched in Toyohashi, Tokyo, and Kyoto I haven't been able to spot one. It was a joint venture with JFA Dream Asia, which promotes football in Japan, and tastes like one of the many grapefruit flavored sports drinks available here. I'm sorry I missed it but make sure to check out the review at one my favorite blogs, Japanese Snack Reviews. And also at Tasty Japan and Japanese Kat.

Since I don't have a review for you this time, instead I present you with pictures of another Kit Kat lover - my nephew. He certainly knows the value of a good chocolate bar but he does still struggle with the idea that you have to take it out of the package before you try to eat it. He's a quick learner though!

New Scores

I've decided to implement a scoring system to better rank the different Kit Kats I try. A 10 is the very best - Woohee, stockpile it while it's available to last me a long long time good. And a 1 is the very lowest - why oh why did I put this in my mouth *gag* kind of bad. With everything else in between. And don't be shy! Weigh in with your own scores as you get to try them.

Yoroshiku!

USA = boring Kit Kats

I'm still in America - land of boring Kit Kats. Why is it do you think that Japanese people are so ready to dive into crazy flavors like Rose and Jasmine Tea while Americans stick to just plain old chocolate?

My theory is that Japanese kids are told in school not to talk about what they like or dislike food-wise and to just eat their kyushoku without complaining. I've seen students holding their noses and choking down things they don't like because they aren't allowed to put them back or give them away. They come out of school with a more adventurous spirit when it comes to eating because of it. American kids on the other hand have moms who pack their lunches with their favorite foods and can buy whatever they want on the lunch line so they never venture too far out of their comfort zone. Thus, we have boring Kit Kats in America and crazy "what were they thinking?" flavors in Japan because Nestle execs in Japan know that people will try them, no matter how crazy the flavor might be (Soy sauce anyone?) I have to say in this instance I side with Japan.

But that isn't to say I haven't had fun with Japanese Kit Kats while in America. I've been forcing
all the leftovers I've had from the bags of minis on friends and family. Some people looked at me suspiciously. Others who hadn't received any looked put out I hadn't saved any for them. But the most excited was my friend Kristin, who was in fact the inspiration for this blog in the first place.

Back in the spring I happened to mention to her that they had some crazy flavors, "for example I just ate a Jasmine Tea Kit Kat the other day and they have Espresso Coffee Kit Kats too."

Her response: "OMG! You should try them all and them put them on your blog and I will TOTALLY read it!!!....er...not that I don't read it now, but it would be really REALLY cool!" And thus JenKen's KitKat Blog was born.

So naturally I had to bring her back some Kit Kats. In return she took me on a chocolate tour of Chicago (where we had champagne truffles flown in weekly from Switzerland, designer cupcakes, and chocolate tea) and introduced me to the wonders of bacon chocolate (that's right bacon and chocolate - a match made in heaven!) Is it any wonder we are the best of friends?

I'm headed back to Japan next week where I'm hoping I can still find some of the bars that came out while I've been gone like Ume-shu Soda and Sour Orange. Many more reviews to come soon!


Oh and you can read Kristin's thoughts on her Japanese Kit Kats here.

Interesting Kit Kat promotion

You can get a Kit Kat in can in vending machines in Tokyo but for one day in Victoria Station in London commuters could buy a Kit Kat from a very special vending machine.



This is part of the "Feel like a machine..." ad campaign in the UK. My job as an ALT can be boring but I'm awfully glad I don't have this job. ;-)

Summer Vacation

I'm back in America for the next six weeks for summer vacation. Don't worry though, there are still Kit Kats to be blogged about since I'm way behind in posting. Coming soon we have Mango Pudding Kit Kats and a Soda Kit Kat Redux. And who knows, maybe I'll find some new flavors here in my home state of Ohio! (I'm not holding my breath but my friend Nathan swears he found an Orange Creme Kit Kat in the States once.)

Kit Kats aside, I'm happy to be home with friends and family and where people eat wheat bread. The best part though about having a candy blog...people buy you candy! Look what I found waiting for me on my bed when I got in last night. Sometimes it's good to go back and enjoy a classic. Thanks mom!

Rose Kit Kat Revisited

I stated quite vehemently in my review of the Rose Kit Kat that roses should NOT be eaten...ever. And I'll admit I was a little confused on who exactly thought it would be a good idea to make a rose flavored Kit Kat. Apparently it's the same people who buy this.

Those are roses. And no they aren't in the flower section of the supermarket but the salad section right next to the mixed greens. Maybe if I was braver I would try them on my next salad, but I maintain that roses are for looking at and not for eating. The Rose Kit Kat which tasted like soap is a testament to that. But maybe, and this is a very big maybe, they taste better on salad. Tell me, Japanese friends, do you eat roses? Oishii?

Kit Kat in a can

You can get hot drinks, cold drinks, and sometimes even ice cream in vending machines in Japan. But they don't sell junk food or candy because walking and eating is discouraged in Japanese culture. Until now. Kit Kat has started offering their bars through vending machines. The only problem is that most vending machines aren't set up to sell candy bars. They're only really for drink cans. But they work around it by just putting the candy in a can. That's not Kit Kat flavored soda you see there, but a can of candy. (But oh my word I would totally drink Kit Kat soda just for novelty's sake.) I haven't seen one here in Aichi yet, but they've been spotted in Tokyo. I won't be up that way until September to even look for one but until then enjoy this review from orchid64 at Japanese Snack Reviews.

Photo by orchid64