5 KitKat Flavors Available Only in Japan, From the Classics to Seasonal and Regional Varieties

1. KitKat Mini Otona no Amasa Hojicha

This KitKat comes in the flavor of "hojicha", which has soared in popularity in Japan recently. "Hojicha" is a type of tea made by roasting tea leaves. In this KitKat flavor, the aroma as well as the faint tartness and bitterness of the roasted tea leaves are thoroughly mixed into the white chocolate and wafer. It has a sophisticated flavor that\'s light on sweetness, so you can properly enjoy the aroma of the roasted tea leaves. I love eating this KitKat during my coffee break in the afternoon.
Price: 192 JPY (incl. tax) for a pack with 9 pieces
*Available at supermarkets and other stores throughout Japan

2. KitKat Mini Otona no Amasa Raspberry

Bearing an image of luscious raspberries on its packaging, this KitKat flavor uses more than 10% raspberry concentrate. Every bite of this KitKat will fill your mouth with the aroma and bittersweet yet refreshing taste of raspberries. The aroma of the raspberries may be faint, but when you eat this new KitKat variant, you’ll be surprised by the strong taste of raspberries this unique KitKat has. It is light on sweetness but has a strong raspberry flavor, so I love to pair it with iced coffee or milk rather than flavored tea or juice.
Price: 324 JPY (incl. tax) for a pack with 12 pieces
*Available at supermarkets and other stores throughout Japan

3. KitKat Mini Otona no Amasa Dark Matcha

This KitKat flavor uses branded matcha called "Uji matcha". For someone who loves matcha, this is the flavor I highly recommend. It will flood your mouth with the aroma of matcha, as it contains a generous amount of matcha powder inside. I love that after you enjoy the bitterness of the matcha and the mild sweetness of the chocolate, you also get to enjoy the delicious smell of matcha as it passes through your nose. Just one bite is enough to thoroughly taste the concentrated flavor of matcha! Matcha-flavored KitKats have existed for a long time already, but this variant is a new product that uses double the number of tea leaves compared to other matcha KitKat variants! When you give this as a souvenir, make sure to share this bit of information to the recipient.
Price: 324 JPY (incl. tax) for a pack with 12 pieces
*Available at supermarkets like LIFE and other stores throughout Japan

4. KitKat Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Flavor Mt. Fuji Pack

From the regional KitKat series comes this strawberry cheesecake-flavored KitKat that is packed in a box shaped like the famous Mt. Fuji, a World Heritage Site. You won\'t be able to get enough of the gap between its Japanese appearance and non-typical Japanese flavor! Despite this gap, people adore this product thanks to its tart taste of strawberry and faint flavor of cheesecake. The texture of the crispy wafer is also a strong hook! KitKat’s regional series can only be found at souvenir shops in places like Narita Airport and Haneda Airport.
Price: 648 JPY (incl. tax) for a pack with 9 pieces

5. KitKat Mini Yuzu Matcha

Yuzu is a citrus fruit whose rind and juices are used in dishes and confections. Famous for its refreshing acidity and aroma which are different from those of lemon and lime, yuzu is also widely used overseas. And now, KitKat has come out with a flavor that combines this unique ingredient of Japan with matcha! The astringency of the matcha is not too strong, and the tartness and aroma of yuzu are quite refreshing. For someone who loves matcha, I would have liked the matcha flavor to be a little more intense, but I would still recommend this to those who are not really into matcha. This flavor is seasonal, so if you see it, you should definitely buy at least one pack!
Price: 324 JPY (incl. tax) for a pack with 11 pieces
Selling period: From January, until supplies last

There Are a Lot More Regional KitKat Flavors Out There!

KitKat flavors are not limited to classic or seasonal flavors, as there are also regional KitKat flavors, sold in every region in Japan! These are very popular as souvenirs! There\'s the Momiji Manju flavor, the KitKat version of Hiroshima’s main souvenir. Momiji Manju is a rice cake commonly stuffed with red bean paste that\'s shaped like a maple leaf. The original creator of this product, Takatsudo, helped develop this KitKat flavor, so you know its taste is authentic! There\'s also the wasabi-flavored KitKat Tamaruya Honten Wasabi, the regional KitKat flavor of Shizuoka. These regional KitKat flavors draw people\'s interest for how well they seem to incorporate regional specialty dishes and ingredients. They are sold at souvenir shops in train stations, airports, and other places, so make sure to check what kind of KitKats are available wherever you are traveling in Japan!

(Left) Hiroshima souvenir "Momiji Manju", (Right) Shizuoka/Kanto souvenir "Tamaruya Honten Wasabi”

Kyushu souvenir "Amaou Strawberry"

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What do you think of the KitKat flavors featured in this article? Make sure to try some KitKat flavors only available in Japan!

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