By Caroline Josephine

Japan is a country that cherishes its seasons. From hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) in the spring to hatsumode (first shrine/temple visit of the year) on New Year’s Day, every season has a holiday, event or celebration. And every season has a food. More specifically, every season has its own tasty sweet treats. Nature brings the reason, but major food and drink manufacturers such as Lotte and Meiji bring us chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.  Fuyu (winter) snacks pop up around the beginning of November, dominating the snack aisle in every major convenience store across Japan.

These snacks all have one major theme: chocolate. White chocolate and milk chocolate are the two most common forms fluffed, stuffed or drizzled over snacks that are already dear to our hearts. Toppo’s breaded sticks are filled with white chocolate. Meiji’s Melty Kiss series gives us a variety of flavored chocolates covered with fluffy cocoa powder, which looks similar to snow. It comes in the standard flavors of strawberry and white chocolate. But there is an added Japanese twist: matcha (green tea) chocolate.  While Toppo and Melty Kiss are around in their normal flavors year-round, Meiji’s Porute is a true fuyu snack. Porute is a mountain of cream sitting on a solid piece of chocolate covered with fluffy cocoa. It is dry and rich and melts in your mouth. It also flies off the shelves as soon as it’s stocked.

Lotte's Toppo White Chocolate, Meiji’s Melty Kiss Matcha (green tea) Chocolat and Meiji's Porte Creamy Whip

In North America, Maeda-en, a green tea and exotic flavored ice cream company, expanded its Black Sesame Ice Cream series with Mochi Ice Cream. Available at your nearest Asian grocer.

Maeda-en's Black Sesame Ice Cream series