TOP 15 BEST JAPANESE CANDY TO DEVOUR IN 2021!

INSIDE: Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the BEST JAPANESE CANDY and snacks to eat! 

Researching the most popular Japanese candy and snacks? 

Want to try all the cool Japanese candy flavors that are unique to the country, such as umeboshi dried plum, green tea, and the yuzu citrus fruit similar to a mandarin crossed with lemon, lime and grapefruit. 

Read our Comprehensive Guide to the top Japanese Candy & snacks.

It’s everything you need to know about the best sweet treats you can find in the land of the Rising Sun, and helpful Amazon links showing you where to buy Japanese candy online till we can get back there!  

Take a look below for all the details. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at NO extra cost to you.

WHAT IS THE BEST JAPANESE CANDY AND SNACKS GUIDE

Roam the Gnome’s™ Sweet Tooth Guide to Candies in Japan!

You’ll discover:

• Common Japanese candy names
• What a Japanese Star candy is used for
• What are popular candies in Japan for kids & families
• the best Japanese Candy brands
• famous Japanese candy companies (eg who makes candy in Japan)

(We can’t answer the question: Why doesn’t Japan like licorice? We simply don’t know!)

The only question you’ll have after reading it is why is Japanese candy so good?

We can’t write a guide to best Japan candy without mentioning Japanese chocolate either. Scroll down the page for a link to the best Japanese chocolates to buy.

(Roam the Gnome LOVES Japanese chocolate and Japanese chocolate snacks too!)

RELATED: Read our epic guide on where to buy Japanese candy & snacks 

Image credit: Amy Jane Mitchell via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

BEST JAPANESE CANDY ON AMAZON

Desperate to travel to Japan to try all the best candy in Japan? 

For those of you who can’t wait any longer for your fix, here’s a list of candy Amazon can ship to your door today. 

With this guide, there’s no more excuses to stop yourself buying these epic sweet & adorable treats.  

This is the Quick Buying Guide: 

• Japanese Plum Hard Candy Koume (our favorite of all)
• Japanese Fujiya Milky candy (alt: Peko Chan Hokkaido Milk classic soft candy) – good choice for those who like soft candy!
• LOTTE Mixed Soda Japanese Hard Candy
• Puchao Gummy n’ Soft Candy, Ramune Soda, Cola and 4 Fruits flavors
• Daimaru Lychee Strawberry Japanese Hard Candy
• Daimaru Japanese Mixed Hard Candy
• Konpeito Japanese Star Candy

You’ll also find a “Buy now on Amazon” link below many of the individual Japanese candies listed below. 

HOT TIP: JAPANESE CANDY SUBSCRIPTION BOXES 

What’s the Best Japanese Candy Box Amazon has to offer?  

Looking for the best Japanese candy box on Amazon? 

Take a look at our guide to the best Japanese subscription box choices to arrange Japanese sweets delivered to your home today.

Bokksu is the most trustworthy, reliable and best Japanese candy box subscription providers around.

In fact, they are arguably rated Number #1.

Sign up for this and you’ll have a different variety of Japanese treats sent to your home once a month including:

• all the best candy from Japan, chosen for this month’s theme!
• senbei rice crackers
• mochi rice cakes
• Japanese cakes
• Japanese snacks
• matcha tea and milky tea 

Plus, it includes a Japan Culture Guide telling you a little bit about the snack, the maker, where the snack comes from. 

It’s up to you who you share it with!

Subscribe to Bokksu now: Authentic Japanese Snack and Candy Box Subscription – Classic 

What is the best Japanese candy subscription box?

Hot tip: If you want to compare to find the best subscription box from Japan for your family, check out these competitors too:

• Japan Candy Box (pictured) 
• Tokyo Treat 
• Japan Crate
• My Japan Box 
• Snakku 
• Nihonbox subscription box
• Kawaiibox subscription box
• Taste Japan subscription box

RELATED: Read our Tokyo Treats review of their Japanese snacks subscription box

Image credit: Rynse Out via Flickr CC BY-2.0

BEST CANDIES FROM JAPAN?

Now, let’s take a look at the types of candy you can find in Japan.

Japanese lollies come in all shapes and sizes.

Types of Japanese candy: 

• Japanese Chewy Candy
• Japanese Hard Candy
• Japanese Ramune Candy (also called Japanese Soda Candy)
• Japanese Sour Candy
• Japanese Star Candy Konpeito
• Japanese Soft Candy
• Japanese Fruit Jellies
• Japanese Gummies
• Japanese Jelly candy
• Japanese Fruit flavored candy
• Japanese Rice Candy (also called Japanese Mochi Candy)
• Japanese Milky Candy
• Japanese Kawaii candy

Japanese Chocolate Candy: 

• Japanese chocolate biscuits
• Pocky Pretzels 
• Japanese chocolate snacks
• Japanese Kit Kats

Japanese DIY Candy:

Right now, the craze is “Do It Yourself” DIY Candy such as Kracie Popin’ Cookin’ Candy Kits.

We’ve gathered a list of the best Japanese candy kits below to0.

Popular Japanese Candy names

Check our quick guide to the most popular candy names in Japan here. 

Image credit: Janine via Flickr CC BY-2.0

No.1: JAPANESE CHEWY CANDY

Chewy lollies top of list of awesome candy in Japan, and they are probably the most popular candy to buy in convenience stores in Japan. 

No.1: Puccho soft candy chews

Puccho candies come in a 10 piece stick pack, as pictured above.  

There are usually 5-10 different flavors available to purchase at any one time.

Grape is the best. 

Check seasonally for new releases.

Buy now on Amazon: Puccho Soft Candies – Grape Flavor

No.2: Hi Chew Candy 

These sweet treats can be found in every convenience store in Japan.

They are Japan’s number one selling candy!  

HiChew candy comes in these flavors: 

• Grape
• Green apple
• Okinawa mango
• Lemon squash
• Kiwi fruit
• Cola
• Strawberry
• Orange
• Pineapple
• Watermelon
• Sour lemon
• White soda, and
• Rich banana.

You can buy Hi Chew mixed bags of candy too.

Buy now on Amazon: Morinaga Hi-Chew 8 flavor pack

No.3: Fuwarinka Soft Candy

These chewy soft Japanese candies have a sweet and sour fruit flavor.

The outer shell is crisp, similar to a Mentos candy or Skittle, and somewhere in between in size. 

Try Fuwarinka lollies in these flavors: 

• Mix Berry Rose
• Rose
• Strawberry Rose, and
• Citris Candy flavors. 

Buy now on Amazon: Japanese Fuwarinka Beauty Rose Chewing Gum – Pack of 2

More Japanese Soft Candies

No.1: Kamu Kamu Soft Candy

Kamu Kamu soft candy is available in all the fruity flavors including Melon candy.

No.2: JAPANESE HARD CANDY

No.1: Sour Plum Candy

The Sour Plum candy pictured above have a sour taste to begin but then turn sweet.

The Ko Ume Hard Candy in Sour Plum is a bit of a shock at first, then turns deliciously sweet!

This is one weird Japan candy. 

But despite the shock, it’s one of our favourites ever. 

Top of the shopping list for souvenirs from Japan. 

Buy now on Amazon: Bag of Japanese Plum Hard Candy Koume by Lotte 

No.2: Japanese Guava Candy

 

No.2: Super Lemon Candy! 

The Super Lemon candy is one of Japan’s most famous hard candy. 

My mouth waters at the sight of this Japanese lemon candy packaging! 

They are bitter to start, but then super sweet.

If you have the grit to get past the sour taste at the beginning, they are awesome! 

Nobel Candy comes in Super lemon, super cola, and super soda flavors. 

More Japanese Hard Candies

Here’s a few more hard Japanese candy options: 

• Hello Kitty Lollipops
• Peko chan pop candy lollipops
• Kari Poli candy sticks

Buy now on Amazon: Super Lemon Candy 

No.3: JAPANESE STAR CANDY KONPEITO

Konpeito colorful Japanese sugar candy deserves a special mention.

These adorable star-shaped sugar crystals in delicious pastel colors may be served on the side with your cup of green tea at a tea ceremony to help your tastebuds adjust to the bitterness.

Konpeito sugar candy are originally from Portugal, but were adopted by the Japanese aristocracy in the mid 16th century because of their beauty and taste. These are now deeply embedded in the Japanese culture.  

Buy now on Amazon: Konpeito Japanese sugar candy for green tea ceremony 

No.4: JAPANESE MILKY CANDY

No.1: Milky Candies in a Bag

Japanese Candy Milky is called both a hard candy and a soft candy, depending on who you talk to! 

Fujiya is a brand which started production in 1951 and are made of high quality creamy milk from the Hokkaido region of Japan!

It’s been my favourite since I was 15 years old.

Look out for the distinctive Peko-chan girl on the packaging.

I adore her! 

Buy some of this candy from Japan for your kids to fall in love with too.

Japanese Milky hard candy come in a bag of candy bon bons wrapped in paper, in flavors including:

• Rich condensed milk (original)
• Green tea
• Crunchy mint, and
• Peach. 

Buy now on Amazon: Japan Milky Candy bag with Peko chan

No.2: Fujiya Milky Candy in a Box

The packaging features the well known Peko-Chan on the box and it contains around 7 individually wrapped candies.

These soft and chewy treats are deliciously milky!

Buy now on Amazon: Fujiya Milky Candy in a box – 10 pack set

Image credit: Ian Collins via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

No.5: BEST JAPANESE GUMMIES

Here’s our list of the best Japanese gummy candy.

• Pure Lemon Gummies and Pure Muscat Grape Gummies
• Pure Gummy candy in lots more fruit flavors
• Kororo Melon gummies
• Kororo Gummy candy in peach, green grape, golden pineapple, mango and more
• Dole Gummy Candy in Orange mango, Orange peel, Grapefruit lychee, Pineapple
• Fettuccine Gummy Candy in Cola, Energy drink, Italian grape, Italian peach, Lemon, Melon soda, Strawberry yogurt, Vanilla yoghurt, Hard boiled Cola, and Hard boiled White soda (whatever that is!)
• Kaju Juicy gummy candy in all fruit flavors

Try this one:  Candy Gummy SUSHI BENTO BOX!  (YES, it’s Japanese gummies shaped as sushi pieces!) 

No.6: JAPANESE FRUIT JELLIES (JAPANESE JELLY CANDY)

Fruit jelly cups are loved by Japanese kids for a treat.

In fact, kids all over Asia love this Japan candy treat.

Here’s a few of the most popular Japanese jelly candies:

• Pokemon Sun and Moon Fruit Jelly
• Frutissier fruit jellies
• Ouma Coconut Jelly Cups – Assorted flavors
• Orihiro Apple and Grape Jelly or Peach and Lychee jelly

Buy now on Amazon: Konjac Jelly pouches come in a set of four popular flavors – banana, green grape, purple grape and peach

No.7: JAPANESE FRUIT FLAVORED CANDY 

Japanese candies come in all the fruit flavors.

Try the melon one first of course.

Look out for: 

• Peach syrup candy
• Melon candy
• White Peach candy
• Umeboshi candy
• Pineapple candy

Buy now on Amazon:  Japanese Fruit Candy – Grape Flavor

No.8: MOST POPULAR JAPANESE CANDY KITS

No.1: Kracie Popin’ Cookin’ DIY Candy kits

Here’s an activity all the kids enjoy – making their very own candy!

It’s easy with these Popin Cookin candy kits by Kracie.

(Read everything you want to know about Popin’ Cookin’ Japanese candy kits here)

Follow the step by step pictorial instructions 

Even when you don’t speak or read Japanese, it’s easy to do. 

Simply add water and the food coloring to a special powder in a mold.

That’s all you have to do for the DIY Japanese Candy Kits Popin’ Cookin’ style. 

Then wait for the magic to happen! 

Hot tip: Japanese Candy Popin’ Cookin’ Bento 

These do-it-yourself candy kits by Popin’ Cookin’ are very, very popular with Japanese kids.

The Bento Lunch Box Candy Kit (as pictured above) is a best seller!

Buy kits as gifts for your most loved kids in your life.

They’ll love the adventure, AND the candy too! 

JAPANESE TOILET CANDY

 

No.9: JAPANESE BISCUITS 

How can a hungry Gnome resist a unique toadstool shaped biscuit topped with chocolate?

This is one Japanese food that was made with him in mind.

Thanks Meiji Chocolate!

But all these Japanese biscuits are cute to boot. 

• Kinoko no Yama toadstool biscuits by Meiji
• Takenoko no Sato biscuits, also by Meiji
• Panda cookies, a much loved Japanese favourite
• Koala no March cookies, shaped in a little koala and stamped with fun Koala motifs
• Meiji Chocorooms – Japanese mushroom biscuits

Buy now on Amazon: Kinoko no Yama biscuits – Pack of 5

No.10: JAPANESE PRETZELS – POCKY 

My kids LOVE Japanese pretzel snacks, both sweet and savory.

When we are in Japan, there’s at least one pack in my backpack at all times.  

The cheese flavor Pretz pretzel is the best.

Pretz pretzels are probably one of the best healthy Japanese snacks around.

A special mention to Pocky chocolate sticks, the yummiest Japanese treat.

I first tried them at 15 on a school trip, and 30 years later, they are still my favourite Japanese snack.

Buy now on Amazon: Variety Pack of 6 Boxes of Different Pocky flavors

No.11: JAPANESE CHOCOLATE

We couldn’t fit all our Japanese chocolate recommendations in this guide and give them due consideration.

So read this:  Roam the Gnome™’s Guide to Japanese Chocolate.

Special mention: Milky Chocolate Bar

Milky Chocolate has a milk cream filling.

It’s in a world of its’ own.  

Find it here. 

Image credit: Tjeerd Wiersma via Flickr CC BY-2.0

No.12: JAPANESE KIT KATS

You’ve no doubt heard that Japan is famous for unusual Kit Kat flavors. Most people have Green Tea Kit Kats on their must buy souvenirs from Japan list.

But did you know you can also buy Japanese Kit Kats in:

• Everyday Nuts and Cranberry chocolate kit kats
• Matcha Green Powder kitkats
• Rich Matcha flavor kit kats
• Yogurt kit kats
• Frozen Cookies and Cream kitkats
• Bitter strawberry kitkats
• Japanese Sake kit kats
• Dark chocolate kit kats
• Strawberry cheesecake kit kats
• Sakura Soy powder kit kats

Go hunting for all the different flavor Kitkats (including limited edition Kitkats) when you are out and about in Japan. 

Buy now on Amazon: Try an assortment with this Kit Kat taster set – 21 mini Kit Kat bars

No.13: THE BEST JAPANESE CHOCOLATE SNACKS 

Oh how we love a good chocolate snack in Japan! 

Our favourite? The Crunky Balls.

No competition.

No.1: Crunky Chocolate Balls

Crunky Balls come in flavors:

• Green Tea chocolate
• Milk chocolate
• Strawberry chocolate
• Dark bitter chocolate, and
• Cookies and Cream chocolate.

These are my favourite Japanese chocolate snack in the world. 

The texture of the biscuit crunch is something else.

Warning: If you have a chocolate addiction too, danger ahead!

Buy now on Amazon: Crunky chocolate balls – 6 pack (You’ll need them)

No.2: Crunky Chocolate Bars

Crunky chocolate bars (a whole bar instead of individual balls) are made in flavors including: 

• Vanilla ice cream
• Milk chocolate
• Strawberry 

No.3: Bake Chocolate baked cake bars

Bake Chocolate Cake bars are available in these combinations :

• Strawberry
• Cheese cake
• Creamy cheesecake
• Chocolate brownie, and
• Mint ice cream.

The Green Tea Bake cake is a collaboration with Hello Kitty.

No.4: Galbo Chocolate

Galbo choco has a crunchy biscuit texture, smothered in lashings of chocolate.

They come in:

• salty caramel
• soy milk green tea
• strawberry
• white, and
• soy milk and kinako (roasted soy bean)

Try the Soy Milk and Kinako Galbo chocolate if you can find it.

It’s divine. 

No.14: MORE POPULAR JAPANESE SNACKS 

Other popular Japanese snacks and candy include: 

No.1: Tohato Caramel Corn

A famous puffed corn treat made into sweet corn curls. These are the best snacks in Tokyo. 

Available in:

• chocolate
• chocolate mint
• fragrant caramel
• honey soy
• milky condensed milk
• ramune soda
• with peanuts
• tiramisu
• strong green tea, and
• fruit parfait.

Buy now on Amazon: 80 gram bag of Tohato Caramel Corn

No.2: Tokyo Banana

Tokyo Banana is arguably Japan’s most popular souvenir to take home for friends and family.

Want to know where to buy Tokyo Banana?

The main Tokyo Banana shop in Tokyo is at Tokyo Station.

In fact it’s not one shop, but many outlets selling Tokyo Banana souvenirs.

You can also buy Tokyo Banana cookies, seasonal variations of Tokyo Banana biscuits, and Tokyo Banana kitkats too! 

(See our Snacks Guide below for more information on Tokyo Banana. )

Buy now on Amazon: Original Tokyo Banana – 12 pack

No.3: Japanese Mochi & Wagashi Snacks

Japanese Mochi filled with sweet red bean paste and sweet Wagashi snacks are two traditional Japanese snacks.

Read more in the Guide to Japanese snacks below.

Image credit: Daiju Azuma via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

No.4: Japanese Cracker Snacks

There are so many Japanese crackers to try, and we’ve listed a whole bunch in our guide to Japanese snacks & crackers.

They made the best souvenirs from Tokyo for people who foodies who like to taste traditional food.

Take a look. 

Image credit: Aki Sato via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

JAPANESE CANDY MANUFACTURERS

These companies are the main manufacturers of candy in Japan (and some Japanese snacks). It’s hard to know who makes the best candy in Japan.

But they ALL make FUN candy.

Check their individual websites for upcoming releases and seasonal surprises.

• Lotte
• Calbee
• Gliko (famous for Pocky)
• Morinaga Dars
• Kasugai Gummy.
• Calpis
• Chelsea – made by Meiji Confectionery in Japan
• Cubyrop
• Gumi 100
• Karinto
• Milky
• Pinky
• Poifull
• Pucca
• Puccho
• Pure gumi candy
• Ramune candy
• Meiji

MORE OF THE BEST JAPAN CANDY BOX OPTIONS

Check out these fun candy boxes from Japan:

• Sanrio Hello Kitty Snack Box
• Sakura Box with dagashi snacks, candy & Japanese chocolate snacks 
• Raindrops Gummy Candy Sushi Bento Box

Toadstool Rating: Best Japanese Lollies

Looking for more must try Japanese food?

Click the links in blue below for more fun Tokyo attractions.

• Monster Guide of Things to Buy in Japan

• The Best Places to Buy Japanese Bento Boxes

• Ultimate Guide to the Best Japanese Streetfood in Tokyo (plus traditional Japanese snacks)