The ritual of preparing and savoring sencha, a type of Japanese green tea, has a rich history dating back to the 18th century. The birthplace of sencha, Kyoto, has a rich cultural heritage helping to shape sencha as a symbol of refinement and elegance. Traveling to Kyoto today, you’ll still find sencha being used for traditional tea ceremonies throughout the city.

These delicate, colorful glutinous rice crackers are an essential delicacy on Girl’s Day. The hina arare, symbolizing the purity and sweetness of young girls, is a lovely reminder of the importance of tradition and family.

Rice flour is carefully kneaded and mixed with sugary cinnamon powder and sesame seeds, then rolled out and baked to create this signature yatsuhashi. Kyoeidou’s confectioneries are known across Japan as Kyoto’s representative souvenirs.

This bite-sized delicately flavored red bean paste jelly is made from salt from the inhabited volcanic island off of the coast of Chiba prefecture called Izu Oshima. A two hour boat ride from mainland Japan, Izu Oshima is known by many adventure seekers as an island escape.

This jelly, called kanoko, hails from Gifu prefecture. Its warm, golden color gives a hint to the earthy, lightly sweet taste of the jelly. At the bottom of the jelly you’ll find a candied chestnut surrounded by azuki beans sourced from Hokkaido. 

This side dish is decorated with the red and white traditional symbols that represent key aspects of Japanese culture. On the lids of the dishes you can find a fuku character, meaning fortune, a kotobuki character, meaning longevity, and a mizuhiki symbol, a symbol for togetherness.

The bold flavors of savory shrimp, nutty sesame, and the ocean’s essence of seaweed are expertly blended together with rich mayonnaise to create this arare. Light and crispy, these arare are the perfect snack for traveling.

This rice cracker is made with the finest miso from Kodama Brewery in Akita prefecture. Crispy, bite-sized, and infused with a delicate sweetness, it serves as a perfect representation of the culinary heritage of Akita Prefecture. Furthermore, this senbei was the recipient of the Akita Food Championship 2021 Encouragement Award.

The makers at Motomura Confectionery craft the subtle sweetness of this soft cookie by carefully kneading green tea into its dough, lending it its beautiful green color hidden inside.

Starting as far back as the 8th century, this treat was used as an iconic omiyage, or souvenir, for travelers in the Kansai region. This okoshi from Nissin Foods has a perfectly balanced taste of ginger infused in its millet.

These sushi-shaped pieces of sweet candy are a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Each piece is artfully crafted by the makers at Sanshu Confectionery in Saitama to resemble the traditional Japanese dish.

Creamy vanilla filling sits encased between two crisp waffle-inspired wafers to create this decadent cookie sandwich from Osaka’s Kawachi Surugaya.

Japan’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, endures harsh and snowy winters. The Hokkaido-based makers at Tengudo Takarabune have crafted a kinako (soybean flour) mochi to warm the soul and wrapped it in a kuromitsu, or brown sugar, edible wrapping.

These sweet cakes from Osaka tempt the taste buds with a creamy inside filling. Their pillowy outside harmoniously blends with the sweet smooth flavors enveloped inside. A delightful surprise awaits with a clue on the packaging. Will you sink your teeth into an indulgent custard cream or a fruity banana filling?

In contrast to Hokkaido’s harsh winters, Okinawa is known as a vacation destination for those wishing to escape into a tropical paradise. The moderate saltiness of the Okinawan salt is the perfect contrast to the sweet, smooth flavor of caramel.

Mayonnaise and chili peppers are carefully kneaded into dough then topped with a sprinkling of cod roe mayonnaise seasoning to create these rice crackers. The spiciness of the chili pepper and cod roe combined with the mildness of the mayonnaise create the perfect balance of savory flavors.