Reviewed by
Mary
December means Christmas of course, and TokyoTreat is celebrating Christmas Japan-style with the Santa’s Snackfest box of sweets and treats from Japan.
Instead of the usual orange box, this month we have a cute seasonal-themed packing box.
The menu booklet is always full of all kinds of fun trivia about Japan. This month it tells you all about Christmas in Japan. Even though it’s not a traditional Japanese holiday, it’s been embraced by all, and there are all kinds of Christmassy things like illuminations, markets, and theme park events. It’s really interesting to read about, as they really go all out!
KitKat Milk Tea
While this KitKat version isn’t technically Christmas-themed, the plaid packaging looks warm and cosy, just right for Christmas. Milk tea is a popular beverage in Japan, and this white chocolate coating is delicately flavoured and is really delicious. They work very well dipped into an actual cup of tea as well!
Chocolate Covered Wheat Puffs, Ramune Christmas Surprise, Christmas Chocolate Daifuku
The little chocolaty pieces have a delicious crispy centre, and there are lots in the packet so they’re pretty good for sharing. The ramune candy is one of three flavours, traditional soda, cola, or cherry, but you won’t know which one until you eat it! The little Daifuku is a a soft and chewy marshmallow, which has a yummy chocolate centre.
Cheese in Snack, Starry Night Corn Puffs, Jagatteru Potato Snack
Cheese In Snack is one of those gloriously literal snack names. It’s little crunchy crackers with three types of cheese, and they really are intensely cheesy and I adore cheese so they’re super delicious. The little stars are crispy corn puffs, salty and very light. Jagatteru are like a cross between a crisp and a chip, and they’re another lovely salty snack.
Tongari Christmas Corn Chips, Petit Potato Nori and Salt, Christmas Fugashi
A proper festive packaging for these salted corn triangular tubes rather like the shape of a Christmas tree. There’s even a festive Christmas card to cut out on the back of the box! Nori is seaweed, which has a lovely savoury taste, and these stackable potato chips are flavoured with this traditional Japanese ingredient. Fugashi are a very popular traditional Japanese snack. It’s a light and crispy corn puff which is soaked in molasses brown sugar which gives it a wonderful caramel flavour.
Pocky Winter Caramel, Maneken White Chocolate Waffle, Calpico Milk Stars
I’ve had the Winter Caramel Pocky before, and they are amazing. Crunchy pretzel sticks dipped in creamy salted caramel chocolate. A proper wintery treat. The waffle is Belgian-style, with chocolate dough, deep holes, covered in a thick layer of white chocolate. Very rich and perfect with coffee. Calpico Milk Stars are little chocolate bites with a layer of chocolate and a layer of milk. They’re lovely and sweet and creamy, and the shapes make me think of the winter sky at night.
Salmon and Spinach Cream Pasta, Royal Milk Tea
Salmon might not be the most traditional Christmas food, but salmon is popular in Japan, and this kind of food is often sold at food stalls at outdoor Christmas markets. The milk tea is a nice link with the milk tea KitKats, and is sweetened black tea with lots of milk. It works really well cold from the fridge, and is incredibly popular in Japan.
By Evelyn 
