OMIYAGE: Hakata Torimon

This package comes from Kyushu, Japan. It's filled with chestnut paste, which is typically very dry. But this paste is blended with milk, giving it a velvety texture. I loved it.

OMIYAGE VIDEO: Okaki by Akasaka Kakiyama

This one just arrived from Tokyo. It's a set of high-end okaki (rice crackers) by Akasaka Kakiyama. You gotta admire the craftsmanship -- particularly how they nest a single almond perfectly in the center of a beautifully textured cracker. The shimmery wrapper makes it regal ...though maybe not particularly friendly to the environment. =P






Missing persons board:
Korean taco person? Please email me. pirikara at gmail. thanks! =)

OMIYAGE #4: Dorayaki

Slap two little pancakes together around a scoop of sweet bean paste and you'll have this traditional Japanese favorite, dorayaki. This particular one is decorated with a dried and salted cherry blossom flower, and the pancake is steamed so that it's nice and fluffy. You'll find them at a store in Setagaya, Tokyo for $2 a piece:




Check out more sweets from Japan HERE.

OMIYAGE: Monaka

This is a mini version of a classic Japanese sweet filled with red bean paste and sandwiched between thin mochi wafers. This particular one hails from Sendai City, but you can find them most anywhere in Japan.





Check out a Japanese sesame egg HERE.

Omiyage: Ginza Strawberry

I mentioned this earlier, but I'm starting a new video corner where I feature every Japanese confection I come across. I'm not talking about the common stuff you get at the Japanese market but the classier swag (aka omiyage) that guests bring over in big, fancy boxes. This one is called Ginza Strawberry, a soft, fluffy cake filled with sweet berry cream. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.