Last Updated: December 28, 2020

Weird Snacks from Japanese Convenience Stores

Japanese convenience stores offer a wide variety of meals and snacks. Here are a few of the unfamiliar items I found in Japanese convenience stores.

Spicy Noodles with Mayonnaise

One of the first snacks or meals I got at a convenience store in Naha was these spicy noodles.

The white stuff on top is mayonnaise, and the thing under the mayo was some kind of pancake made out of corn.

Pancake in a Bag

There are a lot of pancake products sold in plastic bags. This one looks like a regular American pancake…

…except that it’s filled with red beans and whipped cream:

Waffle Chocolate

“Waffle chocolate” is a room-temperature waffle with chocolate on one side:

waffle chocolate japan

Whole Crabs

Here is a container of mini crabs:

mini crab snacks

You eat them whole, like potato chips. They aren’t bad, but the smell is very fishy. I was told you are supposed to eat them while drinking hard liquor.

crab snacks

Dried Squid

There are many kinds of dried squid snacks. Whole squids are popular:

My favorite is the shredded kind:

whole dried squid in Japan

Minnows and Nuts

Here are some whole dried fish with crunchy fried things:

Taco Sushi

Sushi with taco filling (ground beef, processed cheese, lettuce) is popular in Okinawa:

Oden

If you want to eat cheap in Japan, look for oden in convenience stores and supermarkets. The oden in the photo contains daikon radish, konyaku noodles, and fried tofu. Oden is eaten with spicy mustard.

Turtle Shell Sembei

Crunchy, tasty fried snack — turtle shell sembei:

(NOTE: These aren’t made out of turtles, don’t worry! It’s flour.)

Deep Fried Quail Eggs

These are tiny deep fried quails’ eggs:

Here’s a closeup of one cut in half:

Rice Balls (Mochi) in Caramel Sauce

Mochi is pounded sticky rice. These are mochi balls with caramel syrup — the label says mitarashi dango:

Raw Fish and Rice Plate

For under $5 you can get a heap of rice covered with shredded cooked egg, raw fish, raw squid, and an assortment of different fish eggs. The fish-shaped container has soy sauce in it.

Ass Washing Service

The sign on the left advertises a washlet (woshuretto) — the Japanese word for bidet.

Whats your favorite Japanese snack food?

About the Author Roger Timbrook

Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!

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