Chocolate and desserts in Japan?

Question

I am sorry to ask a 'stupid' question but I am a major chocolate head and I am planning to go to Japan for a year. Is there good chocolate in Japan? And how about sweets and desserts?
I'm just excited about going to Japan and trying to get as much info as I can.

Answer 1

I don't think it's a "stupid" question...it's normal to wonder about other countries if you've never been there before.

Anyway, the quality of the chocolate can vary from poor, to extremely well. Nowadays, good chocolates, yet cheap and affordable, are available at supermarkets and convenience stores. Department stores would have sections dedicated to chocolate sometimes, and there are little shops around the specializes.

As for the desserts, there are two different kinds: wagashi and yougashi. Wagashi, is a japanese desserts, where many would consist of red bean paste, and less sweeter sometimes (but not always true). There are little stands on the street at some cities that sells the Japanese-sweets(including the japanese-desserts many Americans know, including different types of mochi). There are also little stores, where you can go inside, and they would give you a sample of the wagashi along with some tea.
Yougashi is European/western dessert, which consists of cakes, cookies, etc. There are many shops in Japan that specializes in cakes...some of the cakes, could cost as much as 500 yen per piece (approx. $5 per a slice) but it's worth it. Cream puffs are pretty popular, as well as the strawberry shortcake. There are yougashi available at the supermarkets too, where it comes in tiny containers, and usually cheaper than the specialty shops. It's not that all expensive ones are better, but some are worth it. Try asking the people which bakery/cafe/patisserie they recommend in the area you're going to. Some shops would run out of the cakes because people from all over the Japan would go to a specific shop if it becomes popular.

Overall, however, some of the desserts in Japan may not be as sweet as the American ones (but not all of them...some of the sweets in Japan are definitely sweeter than the one in the US.

I hope you have fun! There are so many interesting desserts in Japan all the time:-)

Answer 2

Not a stupid question. Yes, there are tons of sweets here and a lot of chocolate. But the chocolate used is a lot milder and no where near as sweet as the chocolate in the USA. that is why you could eat a lot of it and not feel too sick. You have to try the sweet bean pastries. Manju. That is a great sweet.

As one of the other people said, there are so many different kinds of sweet breads it will make your head spin. They are so great.

One thing I do miss is lemon cream and lemon filling in doughnuts and stuff.

Answer 3

Typical Japanese deserts are not near as sweet as the deserts you would find in the United States. You have to be a little careful when you choose them. I had chocolate cake once that tasted like cardboard, but everyone else (i.e. the locals) seemed to love it. Americans LOVE sweet, seems not everyone is the same way :)

There are good ones though, just have to try em out. They sell these icecream filled chocolate drops out of convenience stores and vending machines which are outstanding!

Answer 4

properly, perhaps it fairly is basically my American palate, yet i discover Fry's Turkish delight to be somewhat peculiar. First there is the consistency of modern-day Turkish delight, then the flavour of roses....enrobed in chocolate?! Bizaare mixture, yet i think of i like it. i'm nevertheless attempting to make up my thoughts. Edit: sorry, forgot to assert, that's British. Owned by skill of Cadbury. Mochi, the eastern candy, is probably peculiar. It motives a particularly intense sort of choking deaths between the youngsters and elderly by using its very glutinous texture. once you upload an extremely brightly colored flavored jelly filling to it it basically makes it that quite greater surreal as you chew very, very heavily. Then there is popcorn. Ever think of roughly it too long? Take those grains, warmth 'em til they explode, upload organic salt, then pour melted milk fat throughout. Trippy (yet confident, scrumptious in my thoughts). Oo, and in Mexico- Spongbob pineapple-chili lollipops. the full candy-rather spiced element in maximum situations is in all hazard unfamiliar to the conventional Westerner, a minimum of as dessert, yet then they had to bypass and cause them to Spongebob-themed. Or there have been the sequence of ice cream bars released (additionally in Mexico) that have been themed after the 7 deady sins. "Vanidad" (arrogance) replaced into swirled with irish cream style, lined with white chocolate, and studded throughout with those little silver magnificent issues that i think of have been called 'silver shot' or 'BBs' because of the fact they regarded basically like the failings you shoot...

Answer 5

I think it is safe to say Japan is a dessert heaven. Most department stores have huge spaces for chocolate and desserts.

Answer 6

They have this sweet bread that is soooooooo good! I absolutely LOVED it I would have brought an entire case of it with me.
It's called Ginza Kimuraya Steam Cake. It is amazing I think I ate about 50 of them while I was there.

Answer 7

Hi, I'm a college student in Japan.
Our country has many kind of chocolates!!
I'll tell you some sweet companies here.
Please serch these words in Yahoo! Japan.
morinaga→森永
rotte→ロッテ
meiji→明治
I like meiji chocolates the best.
Enjoy your stay in Japan!!

Answer 8

any major cities will have coffee shops or dessert shops that sell delicious stuff. if u go to a cake store buy "monburan"

Answer 9

i love sushi!!! ehh. . .('v')
'v'

itz ashley!!!