Japanese snacks in Singapore

When it comes to rare and new snacks, you can always count on the Japanese to come up with whacky new items. And we’ve all been there – being that person who’s thick-skinned enough to ask friends travelling to Japan to tompang snacks back.

But if you’re getting increasingly tired of asking for favours in fear of being a burden, here are 6 stores around Singapore that allow you to stock up on Japan’s most elusive snacks. From cheesecake Kit Kats to seaweed tempura, these snacks are shipped directly from Japan for you to have a taste of that beautiful country without having to spend a bomb on air tickets.

1. Iroha Mart at Plaza Singapura – cheesecake Kit Kat & matcha macadamia chocolate

The Cranberry & Almond Kit Kat

Move aside matcha Kit Kat, it’s time for a new flavour to reign. Iroha Mart over at Plaza Singapura is a treasure trove of all things Japanese. And buried in their snack aisle are the Double Berry Cheesecake and Cranberry & Almond Kit Kat. At $10.90, the price may be on the steep side, but if you don’t have a trip to Japan planned anytime soon, that small surcharge is a small price to pay.

If this packaging looks familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve seen the regular milk chocolate version of this macadamia Meiji snack in 7-11 or a supermarket. This matcha version, however, is a unicorn. Get it for just $5.30 at Iroha Mart!

IROHA MART
Address: 68 Orchard Road, #B2-17/18 Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6265 3139
Website

2. Matsuri at Bugis+ – seaweed tempura & garlic squid

Matsuri at Bugis+ offers up over 20 types of snacks and you’ll get to sample every single one of them. Every snack that you’ll find guarantees crunch, freshness, authentic taste of traditional Japan. The packaging looks so authentic, you could probably troll your friends into thinking you just returned from a Japanese holiday. 

We recommend their Seaweed Tempura ($12), a dangerously addictive snack with a good mix of sweet and salty. Another must-try is their Garlic Squid Snack ($12) – the peppery flavour blends well with the squid’s subtle sweetness.

Warning: The snacks are so addictive, choosing just one might be difficult. As such, the place offers up discounts when you buy a combination of 3 snack types. One small-sized packet will cost you $12, but buy them in a trio, and you’ll get them at $30 instead.

MATSURI
Address: 201 Victoria Street, #02-53 Bugis+, Singapore 188067
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6887 4513
Website

3. J-Mart at The Star Vista – chocolate mochi balls & sweet potato Pretz

We’ve seen J-Mart stores all around the island but most of us tend to overlook the snack section. Big oversight. We spent a couple of minutes trawling through their range of sweet and savoury snacks and here are some hidden gems we found.

We were immediately drawn to the classic Pretz snack. We often find this munchie in the regular pizza flavour but you can refresh your love for this treat by doing a taste-test on these exotic flavours: Sweet Potato ($2.80), Cheese ($2.80) and Fermented Butter ($2.80). 

While typical cream mochis are something we’re used to, J-Mart stocks these chewy Mochi Ganache Chocolate Balls ($4.40), which can’t be found in any other Japanese mart. Each soft mochi pillow oozes rich chocolate ganache when you bite into its centre and can also be enjoyed chilled if you’re a fan of mochi ice cream.

Head to the rightmost aisle of the shop, and you’ll come across these Chuchucandy Fruit Popsicles ($4.70), which come in refreshing flavours like Apple, Orange, and Grape – a nostalgic throwback to the sng bao we enjoyed as kids.

Other unique candies include the Konjac Jelly Momo ($1.90) in grape, peach, and apple.

J-Mart at The Star Vista
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green, #B1-27 The Star Vista, Singapore 138617
View J-Mart’s full range of outlets here.
Opening hours: 11AM-9.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 6694 3228
Website

4. Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory at Raffles City Shopping Centre – camembert cookies & cheese soft-serves

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory proved one thing: Camembert/Brie and Milk is the winning combo we never knew we needed in our lives. Lovers of the legendary Japanese snack will be glad to know that a new cookie creation has been added to their menu – the all-new limited edition Strawberry & Milk Tea Cookies ($16/10 cookies).

The biscuits are coloured a delicate shade of pink and contain no cheese whatsoever.

Choose your favourite flavour out of their 3 options: milk, cheese, or twist – a combo of both milk and cheese.

Their Cow Cow Sundae ($8.80) deserves a standing ovation too. The dessert is made up of a generous swirl of delicious soft-serve ice cream that comes topped with a cheesecake slice and a Salt & Camembert cookie.

From left to right: Cow Cow Milk, Cow Cow Cheese and Cow Cow Twist

There’s also a range of other soft-serves: Cow Cow Twist ($6.80), Cow Cow Cheese ($6.80), and Cow Cow Milk ($6.50) – all served with a handmade Vintage Cheesecone. The cone adds a savoury element and smells extremely fragrant too.

Tip: They have a limited stock of 50 cones a day so head down early to grab one!

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory at Raffles City
Address: 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-73 Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103
Check out their full range of outlets here.
Opening hours: 11AM-9.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 9248 8476
Website

5. Kin No Mame at Plaza Singapura – lobster beans & soft-shell crabs

Lobster-flavoured beans

Kin No Mame translates to ‘gold beans’ and after visiting their store, we’re sure of one thing – that their beans and snacks are gold standard alright. Be sure to try their crunchy Japanese Bean Snacks which go for $7 for a small-sized packet. Medium packets go for $22 but purchase 2 medium sized packets and one small-sized package and you’ll only be charged $35.

Their Lobster Beans and Curry Beans are a crowd favourite – to make your money’s worth, buy 3 small packets in the flavours of your choice for $18 instead!

This snack goes best with an ice-cold Asahi

Probably one of the most classic Japanese snacks is the mini crabs ($12) flown directly from Ehime, a region popular for its fresh coastal seafood. Every piece is a fully-intact bite-sized crab that is sprinkled with tiny starch balls to give it an umami flavour.

The only fish bones we consume either come from sardines or when we accidentally and unfortunately choke on them. They’ve got quite a bad reputation, but this “Iwashi” Fish Bone Snack ($12) might change your mind. Also flown in from Ehime, the snack consists of pieces of small, grilled fish about the size of an ikan bilis that quickly melt in your mouth when you chew on them.

Kin No Mame
Address: 68 Orchard Road, #B1-K3 Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839
Opening hours: 11AM-9PM, Daily
Website

6. Tokutokuya at Westgate – green tea cookies & rice cereal chocolate

Tokutokuya sits on the ground floor of Westgate and stocks a large supply of Japanese snacks, desserts, home decor and kitchen equipment making it a heaven for all Japanese lovers.

Cute, conical, and very tasty; the Meiji Apollo Chocolate is a snack we know all too well. But what you see above is an upgraded version of our childhood choco with a soft caramel centre that will send your tastebuds into overdrive.

Expect the same subtle chocolatey task with a kick of caramel that will reinstate your love for this candy.

They also have plenty of chocolate bars you won’t find in your usual grocery stores. Do also look out for the Meiji White Chocolate and Tango’s Caramel Flavoured Milk Choc with Rice Cereal – these go for $2 each.

These Levain cheese biscuits ($4) are the cheaper alternative to the Hokkaido cheese biscuits. They are twice as thick with way more crunch but flavour wise, they’re just as rich and creamy.

Tokutokuya
Address: 3 Gateway Drive, #B1-16/17 Westgate, Singapore 608532
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Dail
Telephone: 6909 3656
Website

Rare Japanese snacks you can find anywhere

We often spend our weekends strolling through shopping malls – mostly to escape the heat – but also because it’s shopping galore. Case in point: these 6 stores all come readily stocked with tasty Japanese snacks.

From snacks like cheesecake Kit Kats to lobster beans, head over to a nearby CapitaLand Mall to get your Japanese snack fix. Whether it’s Plaza Singapura or The Star Vista, there’s bound to be a treasure trove of rare Japanese snacks near you – there’s no need to trouble friends to tompang them back any longer! 

Buy rare Japanese snacks with CapitaLand Malls

This post was brought to you by CapitaLand.
Photo credit: Pepita Hope Wauran.