I Have Given Up,

counting the number of different types and flavors,

of KitKats in Japan, so I was please to find this video on a GBS page, apparently there are 400 flavors which are regional, and some were limited editions, but in any Japanese store, you'll be confronted with a huge variety of KitKat flavors. That's because part of the allure of the KitKat bar is how versatile one can make it. And that "one" is pastry chef Yasumasa Takagi, so why are KitKats so phenomenally successful in Japan? it is all down to good luck, literally, you can read the story here.

 

It Has Stayed The Same For 125 Years,

the logo on Hershey's bars,

has this year undergone a complete makeover, the new emoji chocolate bars, which will be available for a limited time starting this summer, will feature 25 of “the most popular emojis” engraved in the bar’s squares, “In today’s text savvy world, many conversations start (and end) with an emoji,” Hershey’s senior brand manager Kriston Ohm stated, “By adding an emoji design to each pip of chocolate, we hope that parents and kids are inspired to share a chocolate emoji and make a connection with someone new.” for more information on the new Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Emoji bar and all things Hershey’s brand this Summer, for more things Hershey have a look at 

 www.hersheys.com, and if like myself you know very little about this company here is a little about the Hershey Company, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2019, is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., it is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed, Hershey has approximately 16,500 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.8 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, KitKat®, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop and Pirate’s Booty, for 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed, better still visit their site at www.thehersheycompany.com, chocolate yummy!

We Have Not Posted,

a KitKat post for sometime,

 for some reason in Japan KitKats are hugely popular, just look at some of the many posts we have made about them, and here is a newish collection I have just seen, 

 Volcanic chocolates are the newest KitKat Chocolatory release from Yasunari Takagi, these KitKats have a truly unique flavor, the flavors were discovered on the volcanic islands of Papua New Guinea (Karkar Island), Vanuatu (Malakula Island) and the Philippines (Mindanao Island), Takagi describes these KitKats as having the "taste of earth" and saying that each flavor represents a different volcanic island,

the box set comes with 7 bars which includes the three new Sublime Volcanic releases along with Sublime Bitter, Sublime White, Sublime Ruby, and Sublime Milk,

and here is the video showing you how it all happened, so that will be two boxes please!

We Have Not Featured KitKats,

from Japan recently,

 so here go's with that latest from there, it is strange how Nestle is so popular in Japan, I have to say we do not know of any other country that is so KitKat crazy! and in fact if you go to the link it does state that these products are only available in Japan, above the the latest KitKat release from Nestle Japan is a collaboration with Kumamon and Kumamoto Prefecture, ask a Kumamoto-ite what Kumamoto’s most famous sweet snack is, and they’ll tell you it’s an ikinari dango, a sweet bun consisting of red bean paste and sweet potato covered in a rice wrapper and steamed, and here it is KitKat style, the Kumamoto Kumamon Ikinari Dango flavor bag includes 11 mini KitKat bars,

a little late as this one was for Easter, but it has a new banana flavor KitKat as an Easter special edition, Japanese consumers have chosen this unique banana flavor through a poll, there are 12 different bunny themed packaging's, in this special edition, KitKat also celebrates Easter with a "Lucky Easter" chocolate design hidden randomly inside these KitKat bags, this Japanese limited edition comes in a bag of 12 mini banana KitKats,

 an iconic landmark of Japan, Mount Fuji is now available to ship, as Nestle Japan has created this Mount Fuji-shaped box for their Strawberry Cheesecake flavoured variation of the KitKat chocolate bars, perfect for a gift or a nice snack addition to your Netflix and chill out Sunday afternoon, the box contains 9 mini KitKat chocolate bars, 

and lastly their new Ice Cream flavor, but you can also toast them and enjoy them melted, just think of that, toasted KitKats! the pack contains 13 mini KitKat chocolate bars, it seems a shame that the rest of the world is denied these different bars, but there it is, Nestle knows best!

It Never Ceases To Amaze Me,

how big the market is for KitKats in Japan,

I have almost lost count of the number of times we have posted about the number of different varieties of them, well here are a few more, firstly the KitKat Gotochi West Japan Assort Set, featuring 12 pieces of mini KitKat in 5 different flavours,

3 pieces of KitKat Matcha Green Tea

2 pieces of KitKat Purple Sweet Potato

3 pieces of KitKat Roasted Green Tea (Houjicha)

2 pieces of KitKat Amaou Strawberry

2 pieces of KitKat Hiroshima Momiji Manju

 and naturally there is the KitKat Gotochi East Japan Assort Set which features 12 pieces of mini KitKat in 5 different flavors, to compliment the West,

 3 pieces of KitKat Shinshu Apple

2 pieces of KitKat Nagoya Red Bean Sandwich

3 pieces of KitKat Wasabi

2 pieces of KitKat Tokyo Rum Raisin

2 pieces of KitKat Yokohama Strawberry Cheesecake 

there is also a return of an old favourite, the popular Momoji Manju flavour is back, this is a collaboration of Nestle and Takatsudo, the original creator of the Momiji Manju, and if you wonder what to expect from the KitKat Momiji Manjut, it is baked red bean cakes shaped like maple leaves, the red bean paste is baked into the wafers, and the manju flavor can be found inside the white chocolate mix,

and finally KitKat Everyday Luxury, Chocolate, Berry and Almond, inspired by the premium Moleson line at the Chocolatory stores in Japan, this bag offers a cheaper alternative for those who want to enjoy the delicious combination of KitKat embedded with dried berries and almond, this Japanese limited edition comes in a bag of 15 (or 16) yummy mini KitKats, all of these delicious treats brought to you by Nestle Japan, and no I am not on commission, but I would like to see a pack of each under our Christmas tree!

Japan Seems To Have A Thing,

about KitKats,

we have featured the almost endless flavours and varieties they come in many times on our blog before, and here is another flavour to chose from, behold the KitKat Pistachio & Grapefruit, so if you want a Greek inspired flavour of roasted pistachios and the tangy grapefruit blended for the perfect mix, this is the one for you, the package contains 4 Pistachio & Grapefruit  mini KitKats, so there it is, if you want to partake of this Greek inspired treat you can buy them direct from White Rabbit Express at their English-language website, but remember, chocolate not only melt in your mouth, it can melt in transit too! and no I am not on commission, I am just amazed at how many varieties of KitKat are available in Japan.

KitKat Japan,

is opening a new store,

we have featured the popularity of KitKats in Japan many time before, and here is a new one, to celebrate the opening of a new specialty store in Ginza, Tokyo, they are introducing a limited-edition Kit Kat Sushi set, the new Kit Kats come in three flavors, all inspired by classic sushi types: tuna, sea urchin and egg, ‘Tuna’ is a mix of raspberry chocolate bars placed on a bed of sculpted rice puffs; ‘Sea Urchin’ blends melon with mascarpone cheese, held together by a seaweed wrapping; while ‘Egg’ is pumpkin pudding and rice, encased in a ribbon-like seaweed shell, according to Tokyo Bargain Mania, Kit Kat Japan will launch the sushi-inspired set at its new Ginza store on February 2nd, 2017, but there is a slight catch, the bars will only be available to people who spend over ¥3,000 JPY (approximately $26 USD) at the store, in case you want to visit the store is Kit Kat Speciality Store, 104-0061, 3-7-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

With Just 19 Or So Days To Go,

it is time to start thinking about a little something for Valentines Day,

 and what better gift to give than chocolate? so if you are lucky enough to live or be in Japan here are a few ideas, firstly I Love Fruits combines sweet white chocolate with fruit powder for a divine selection of fruity chocolate treats, the set contains ten individually wrapped single mini KitKat sticks in the following flavours (2 sticks of each):

- Strawberry

- Blueberry

- Raspberry

- Yuzu

- Passionfruit

previously available only at the Chocolatory in Ikebukuro, KitKat's deluxe range of premium KitKats are now available to send overseas, but be warned, as the weather heats up it becomes more difficult to guarantee chocolate will arrive in good condition, if temperatures in your location are above 23C (73F) please consider the possibility chocolates may arrive discoloured or slightly damaged, at temperatures above 28C (82F) the products may begin to melt completely in transit,

for a different gift set there is the Chocolatory Deluxe KitKat Mini Gift Set, it contains a sample selection of premium KitKat flavours with the mini Gift Box Set containing 8 mini KitKats in four flavours (2 KitKats for each flavour). Flavours include:

- Butter

- Strawberry Maple

- Pistachio and Raspberry

- Green Tea and Kinako (Soybean Powder)

 or for something a little different, the limited-edition Shinshu Apple KitKat features wafers smothered in apple flavoured milk chocolate, apples are a popular fruit of the Shinshu region of Japan, the package contains 12 mini apple KitKats,

and now to the Subline, the ultimate indulgent KitKat is now here, limited to only 300 single sticks per day this exclusive and exceptionally popular Dark Chocolate KitKat aims to give the ultimate KitKat experience, using 66% Cacao to create it's deliciously bitter exterior this is a must try for KitKat fans! The package contains a single KitKat stick, it is strange how different products take off in different counties, certainly in Japan the KitKat is King, for a look at more treats from Nestle Japan have a look here, 

or if you are lucky enough to be in Japan you can visit the "KITKAT Chocolatory" it is a KITKAT speciality shop under the complete supervision of the chef and owner of the popular patisserie "Le Patisserie Takagi", Yasumasa Takagi, 

and there is also a map, showing regional products based on the locale, hopefully dedicated cooled chocolate shops will start to appear in other warm countries taking on the range of different KitKat products in warmer climates, but what treats await your Valentine in Japan.

From Japan,

we have just seen a number of new KitKat themed sweets,

 we have mentioned the huge number of varieties of KitKats in Japan before, some even in gold, and here are a few more to chose from, firstly the limited-edition Amaou Strawberry KitKat features strawberry-flavoured cream sandwiched between crunchy wafers and covered in strawberry-flavoured delicious white chocolate, this KitKat is inspired by the Amaou variety of strawberries grown in Fukuoka which is famous for growing very large strawberries with a rich and intense flavor, I should before we go any further say that I cheated and copied the description from the page the bars are featured on, but for a better look just click on the link to read more about them,

 or you can indulge in the essence and rich taste of matcha green tea with this limited edition Otona no Amasa Matcha KitKat, it features wafers smothered in rich, green tea matcha-flavoured chocolate,

you never can go wrong with strawberries as this limited-edition Yokohama Strawberry Cheesecake KitKat shows, is the perfect mix of fruity and creamy, to create it, Nestle has layered strawberry-flavoured and cheese-infused cream between crunchy wafers and smothered them with creamy cheese-flavoured white chocolate,

 another new one for us, with potato! the Okinawa/Kyushu limited-edition Sweet Purple Potato KitKat features wafers covered in sweet potato-flavoured milk chocolate, the KitKat Beni Imo is made from the exalted Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato, the Beno Imo is known for its excellent beta-carotene content and boasts more anti-oxidants than blueberries.

lastly who could think about foods that are Japanese and not think of sushi and wasabi? so here it is, Limited-edition Wasabi KitKat features wafers covered in wasabi-flavoured white chocolate, it is one of the most interesting flavors of KitKat, so if you like sushi what a perfect way to round off a meal, so there are more than a few KitKats to tempt you and no I am not on commission! but it would be fun to try a few!

Back In The UK,

KitKat chocolates are popular,

but in Japan they take on a like of their own, the varieties and flavours are seemingly endless, looking back I have noticed that we have featured gold KitKats, Easter KitKats, and liqueur KitKats, well now a new flavour has just been announced, so if you are going to Hiroshima, the new KitKat features the unique flavour of the area’s most famous speciality souvenir, the Momiji Manju, it was created in collaboration with Takatsudo, the famed 100-year-old family-run business that originally created the Momiji Manju back in 1906, located on the island of Miyajima, Takatsudo’s signature sweet can now be enjoyed throughout Hiroshima and the greater Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Japan in the form of a Kit Kat chocolate, according to Nestlé Japan, the red bean paste has been kneaded into the wafers, while the flavour of manju (sweet dumpling) dough has been incorporated into the white chocolate mix, so if you fancy a taste of this new KitKat have a look here, and no I am not on commission, it would be nice to try one though.

Whist We Have All Heard,

of the Easter bunny,

I had never heard of the Easter Kit-Kat, until now, Japan is famous for the sheer number of different flavoured Kit-Kat bars and Kit-Kat liqueurs that Nestle produces there, so what better than a Easter Kit-Kat? from the blurb,

It's time to spring into Easter with KitKat's new Pancake flavour. With 13 different bunny themed packaging and chocolate designs to see with 1 in 30 chocolates sporting a special "Lucky Easter" design this adorable sweet is the perfect Easter gift. Happy Easter to all! this Japanese limited edition comes in a bag of 12 yummy mini pancake KitKats.

so there it is, if you want to partake of these Easter treats you can buy them direct from White Rabbit Express at their English-language website and no I am not on commission! Happy Easter!

Chocolate And Gold,

a winning combination in anyone's book,

both have been combined by Nestle in Japan who are offering 500 very special KitKat bars individually wrapped in edible gold leaf, the reason? Japan's upscale KitKat Chocolatory stores recently welcomed their one millionth visitor and to celebrate the milestone the have produced this bar, just 500 will be produced, the bars will be priced at 2,016 yen each including tax, roughly $16.30 at current exchange rates, the yen price is no coincidence by the way, with the bars set for release in late December, Nestle Japan thinks they'll make ideal New Year's gifts,

 but gold Kit-Kat bars are not the only different flavoured bars to hit Japan's shores,

just a few of the exotic flavours for the Japanese market have included Maccha Milk Kit Kat and Red Azuki Bean Kit Kat, the former is Green Tea with milk, Azuki beans boiled with sugar have sweetened desserts and more for centuries, Sakura, or Cherry Blossom Kit Kat, introduced in spring to coincide with the tradition of Cherry Blossom viewing, Sakura Kit Kat comes in a pretty pink wrapper and features crème-filled wafer coated in pink Cherry flavoured white chocolate, often Kit Kats feature regional specialities such as white chocolate Kit Kat made with Hokkaido milk from Japan's far northern dairyland, on to Yubari Melon, also Apple Kit Kat, there is a Strawberry version, for parents, Kit Kat Chocolatier Wine, the petite-sized bars feature a luscious red wine flavoured white chocolate coating over crisp wafers sandwiching layers of wine-flavoured crème filling and then for something completely different, the Kit Kat I-Stick, a version meant to be eaten frozen or a gourmet bar, made by Japanese confectionery chef Takagi, called the Bretagne Kit Kat, made with Bretagne milk and Ecuadorian cocoa butter, just a few of the 200 or so different Kit-Kats listed in Wikipedia, it makes a 'normal' Kit- Kat look so plain.

We Were Up Early,

and off to Nick and Maureen's,

Nick and Maureen had very kindly invited us all over for what was to be a typical British Christmas lunch, which is why I bought the turkey earlier in the week,

 but first a dip in the pool,

 which everyone enjoyed,

 every year these little uninvited guests appear, I guess a type of wood louse, this is the first one for today,

 back to the pool Diana playing with her telephone taking a few pictures,

 whilst Sandio and Dad have a swim,

 then another uninvited guest arrived, a vivid green caterpillar,

 for a mid-morning snack Maureen had prepared some corn-beef sandwiches,

 Diana and Daisy May enjoying their swim,

 I then noticed a few more of these moving around,

 they were everywhere outside, the good news is that they do not come into the house, just near to Nick and Maureen's house there is some woodland that has not been touched in years so I guess they migrate across the road in to Nick and Maureen's front yard,

like the ones we are used to back in Great Britain, when touched they roll into a ball,

then dinner is ready,

 the tables laid out,

 complete with Christmas crackers,

 the food was served,

 so a happy and smiling Daisy May,

 Lyn,

 Sandio,

 Dioshane,

 Mum and Dad,

Nick and Maureen,

 and myself not forgetting Diana who was behind the camera,

 then time for the crackers,

  which were a novelty, as none of Diana's family had ever seen or heard of them,

 so with smiles all round they were pulled and presents, 

hats and jokes came from each cracker, here is one little problem to solve I remember from one of them,
what starts with a T, 
ends with a T,
and has T in it?

a teapot!

or how about, why did the little boy throw his toast out of the window? to see the butterfly!

 then a real surprise for everyone, Maureen had bought all of the family a chocolate gift from England, for the children an Easter egg each, again a novelty for them, each egg had a different selection of sweets inside, Maltesers for Sandio,

 Smarties for Daisy May and a box of Cadbury's Roses for Lyn her Mum,

 Cadbury's flake for Dioshane,

 and Diana,

Roses for Mum,

and a roll of Rollo's for Dad,

 we all wore the hats in the crackers,

 then on to the dessert, one I had never eaten before,

 Kit-Kat chocolate flavoured ice cream, it really did taste exactly like a KitKat,

 meal over it was back outside for a swim, but Diana noticing one of the black squirrels in the area took this picture of one,

and cute he was too, 

 back to the swimming,

 Daisy May enjoying herself, after the swimmers had dried themselves off we chatted away for a few hours, Nick and Maureen telling us all about the trip to the UK they had just returned from, then it was time to say our goodbyes and after thanking Nick and Maureen for their many kindnesses we were on our way home,

 for a 3D film, so glasses on,

for Avatar which we all enjoyed, but I have to confess there are a couple of  scenes in the tree tops that made me with my fear of heights decidedly uneasy, but great fun never the less, by now it was late so with the end of the film we were all off to bed.