Ramen, takoyaki, and sushi are only some of the many Japanese snacks that many of us Filipinos enjoy. These meals come in different flavors and are perfect as a morning snack, chichirya, or merienda. From crispy chips and biscuits to sweet ice creams and drinks, Japan has quite a range of flavors and textures!
With so many options to choose from, though, it can be overwhelming to choose. But we're here to help narrow down your options and show you a list of our 10 best picks when it comes to Japanese snacks. make sure not to miss our informative buying guide fact-checked by nutritionist-dietitian Samantha Morales!
Quick List - Top Japanese Snacks
Samantha began her career in clinical nutrition and weight management at a tertiary hospital in Manila, Philippines. Her practice allowed her to give nutrition counseling and plan modified diets for patients with medical conditions. Presently, she does private practice to focus on true holistic wellness - an approach that believes in aligning one's mind, body, and spiritual well-being.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
In any supermarket or convenience store, you'll be sure to find a wide variety of snacks to choose from. If you're still undecided about which to buy, the first step is always to determine what type of snack you need.
Go for light Japanese snacks such as biscuits, chips, and crackers if you prefer to eat something not too filling. These snacks have a wide range of flavors, from savory to sweet, and they are usually stored in travel-friendly, air-tight packaging to maintain their crispness.
Light snacks are perfect for eating in between meals, and they can also be consumed during school and work breaks, road trips, and even on movie nights and pool parties with friends and family.
If you’re health-conscious, Japanese snacks also offer a selection of guilt-free snacks made from natural and healthy ingredients. These ingredients include dried fruits, salted nuts, edamame or soybeans, and protein bars which are filling and nutritious enough to serve as a substitute for meals.
Supermarkets and convenience stores selling Japanese food are saturated with a wide variety of snacks that have different ingredients and nutritional content. So, if you want to stay fit and healthy while also enjoying your snacks, try to pick the healthier options that are available.
Japanese snacks can come in many different flavors but most are either sweet or salty. No matter which one you'll pick, you'll surely have many snacks to choose from!
Flavors such as seaweed, soy sauce, and wasabi are some of the many distinct Japanese flavors. They can be found in sushi and ramen, where they have an earthy and umami flavor that adds a savory kick to any Japanese snack.
Aside from these, other ingredients include sesame and seafood flavors which are already common in many Asian cuisines. Overall, those ingredients are great for seasoning different Japanese dishes, and they are also perfect as flavorings in chips, biscuits, and crackers.
If you have a sweet tooth, then Japanese candies and chocolates are for you. Japan offers a spin to the classic sweet chocolate as it incorporates flavors like matcha and cherry blossoms to make interesting combinations. Other Japanese sweet treats are mochis and ice creams, which are usually paired with red bean or matcha to give it a uniquely Japanese flavor.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Glico Pocky Chocolate-Covered Biscuits | ![]() | Taste the Satisfying Crunch and Rich Chocolate in Every Stick | |
2 | Calbee Jagabee Potato Sticks |Butter Soy Sauce Flavor | ![]() | A Light Savory Potato Snack | |
3 | Nestlé Kitkat Matcha | ![]() | Balance the Sweetness With a Matcha-Flavored Snack | |
4 | Calbee Fruit Granola | ![]() | Keep It Healthy With This Fruity Cereal | |
5 | Glico Cheeza Crackers | ![]() | A Savory Snack for Cheese Lovers | |
6 | Kameda Seika Kakinotane Rice Cracker and Peanut Mix | ![]() | The Perfect Snack for Your Pulutan | |
7 | Meiji Apollo Strawberry Chocolate |Set of 10 | ![]() | Enjoy Sweet and Fruity Goodness in Every Bite | |
8 | Royal Family Red Bean Mochi | ![]() | Have a Filling Dessert With Soft and Sweet Mochis | |
9 | Meiji Choco Baby | ![]() | Give Yourself a Chocolate Treat Everywhere You Go | |
10 | Nissin Instant Ramen With Sesame Oil | ![]() | A Perfect Rainy-Day Snack That's Easy to Cook |
Glico Pocky in Chocolate features thin, crunchy biscuit sticks dipped in smooth chocolate, offering a satisfying blend of crunch and sweetness. Its convenient packaging also makes it perfect for enjoying anywhere—at work, school, or on the go. The design ensures a mess-free experience, with the chocolate only on the top half of the biscuit.
This Japanese snack is loved worldwide for its playful, easy-to-eat design and distinctive dark chocolate flavor. Reviews rave about its addictive taste, making it a popular choice for those craving a light yet fulfilling snack. It’s no wonder this chocolate treat has become a go-to for snack lovers everywhere!
From Calbee, this potato snack is perfect for those who like flavored fries. It's made with real potatoes, and it comes with the skin, which will surely trick your taste buds into thinking that you're actually eating real French fries. Plus, the butter and soy sauce flavor can provide a slightly salty and savory taste in every bite.
Calbee Jagabee is light, crispy, and tiny yet packed with flavor. Although this snack is a bit pricey for its quantity, it's definitely worth it for its unique and delicious taste. Be careful if you're watching your weight, though; this snack is highly addictive!
If you're a fan of matcha-flavored anything, then this snack is for you. Nestlé's Matcha Kitkat features the classic KitKat wafer coated with smooth and creamy matcha chocolate. It's made with real green tea matcha powder, giving you that unique taste without any artificial flavorings.
For many Filipinos, matcha is a hit-or-miss flavor because of its slightly bitter taste. However, with this product, hopefully, you can enjoy matcha more, as it is combined with rich white chocolate for a creamier and less bitter taste.
If you need a snack that's heavier than just chips or biscuits, this one from Calbee might just be what you need. It's a cereal made of whole-grain oats and a mix of fruits like raisins, papayas, apples, and strawberries. It also has some varieties of nuts such as roasted pumpkin seeds and almonds to add a bit of saltiness and extra crunch.
You can have this in a full serving for breakfast or in small servings for mid-day or midnight snacks. Compared to the other products on this list, this one is much healthier because it's packed with vitamin A, E, D, and B-complex. Now that's a snack that's guaranteed to give you some energy!
Looking for something that can satisfy the urge to munch with an extra cheesy boost? Make sure to add these crackers from Glico to your cart! The crunchy triangular crackers are packed with intense flavor that's sure to keep you savoring them till the last bite.
It comes in four different flavors; take your pick between a sharp cheddar cheese, camembert, smoked cheese, and avocadooza, a zingy combination of real avocado paste, cream cheese, and wasabi. Whichever flavor you choose, you're guaranteed to get a crunchy and cheesy snack that's good to have anywhere!
This snack from Kameda Seika is made of crunchy and slightly spicy rice crackers coated with savory seasoning. These rice crackers have a unique persimmon seed shape and come in sweet and savory flavors. It's perfect for individual snacking, and it makes for a good pulutan as well.
Each multipack contains six single-servings of crunchy rice crackers and lightly salted peanuts. It comes in two flavors, original and spicy, either of which can satisfy your chichirya craving. Whichever you'll choose, you'll be sure to find the perfect snack to go with your alcoholic drinks.
Can't decide between a fruity or a chocolatey snack? Why not choose both with this strawberry and chocolate treat from Japanese chocolate giant Meiji? Each piece of this snack is made of rich milk chocolate topped with strawberry-flavored white chocolate. The mountain-like shape is a nod to the iconic Mt. Fuji in Japan.
This snack is perfect for those who have a sweet tooth and want their Japanese chocolate with an extra twist. Meiji Apollo Strawberry chocolate is one of the most popular snacks among Meiji products, and it is definitely a must-try Japanese treat for all ages.
Craving for something sweet after eating something savory? Then perhaps you should try this sweet, red bean-filled mochi from Royal Family. It has a soft, marshmallow-like texture on the outside and a smooth and sweet taste of red bean on the inside. Mochi has become a popular snack here in the Philippines because of its chewy texture that feels heavenly in the mouth.
This Japanese mochi is perfect both as a filling snack or as a dessert to end your meals. You can choose to heat it up in a microwave or chill in the freezer before eating. Either way, this treat is sure to hit the spot!
Enjoy Meiji's Choco Baby, milk chocolate pellets conveniently packaged in a plastic dispenser box. These bite-sized treats are packed with creamy, smooth chocolate flavor, making them perfect for on-the-go snacking. The handy dispenser ensures you can enjoy a quick chocolate fix anytime, anywhere.
Each pack of Choco Baby contains rich, melt-in-your-mouth pellets that are small but satisfying. Whether you're satisfying your sweet cravings or need a snack between meals, this treat is a great option. As Japan’s number one chocolate brand by sales, Meiji’s delicious taste is widely praised by buyers.
Ramen is one of the most popular and well-loved Japanese food. With instant, easy-to-cook versions, you can enjoy ramen at an affordable price without leaving your home. This pack of instant noodles with a unique sesame flavor is the perfect rainy-day Japanese snack that you can try in the comfort of your home.
Additionally, Nissin Demae Ramen can also serve as a meal, as it is filling and made from a variety of spices that give it a savory taste. Keep in mind, however, that this snack might not be a healthy option compared to others because of its high sodium content per pack. It's best to consume this just every once in a while.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
You can buy Japanese snacks on E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and other supermarkets. There are also other stores that specialize in Japanese groceries like Tokyo Market PH, Fuji Mart, and Kobeya Japanese Food Mart.
With so many choices for Japanese snacks, it can be difficult to pinpoint the most popular one. However, the names you'll frequently encounter are Pocky, mochi, and Kitkat matcha for sweet treats, and Calbee Chips and rice crackers for savory ones.
Not all Japanese snacks can be considered healthy, but the good news is, there are just as many healthy alternatives to those. Check the ingredient list and nutrition facts on the label to determine if the snack is healthy or not.
Craving for more Japanese food? Feel free to click on the links below to browse our other recommendation articles featuring different Japanese food and drinks. Enjoy!
Author: Katrina Balingit
Re-editor: R. Umlas
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Glico|Pocky Chocolate-Covered Biscuits
No. 2: Calbee|Jagabee Potato Sticks |Butter Soy Sauce Flavor
No. 3: Nestlé|Kitkat Matcha
No. 4: Calbee|Fruit Granola
No. 5: Glico|Cheeza Crackers
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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