Quick, how many flavors of Kit Kat have you tried in your life? “Wait, Fidel, that’s a trick question right? I think I saw a white chocolate flavor before, but every one knows there is only one flavor Kit Kat.” Nope, it is not a trick question. You mean you’ve never tried corn flavor? Mashed edamame beans flavor? Or Miso soup flavor?
Ninety-eight. To date, there have been 98 different flavors of Kit Kat bars sold in Japan. There’s probably a lesser number of weed varieties to choose from in Amsterdam than there are Kit Kat flavors in Japan. They range from the choices above to flavors like:
Normal: Caramel, caramel macchiato, strawberry, cookies and milk, and tiramasu
Do I eat this or drink this: Caffe latte, calpis (a popular Japanese drink), Cola and lemon squash, ginger ale, and iced tea
Weirder than cosplay: Kiwifruit, lemon vinegar, sports drink, watermelon and salt, and wine
Now we’re approaching 2 Girls, 1 Cup territory Japan: Soy sauce, wasasbi, aloe yogurt, red bean, beet, and cucumber. Seriously, all they need is a rice and tuna or salmon flavor and you could make your own sushi roll out of Kit Kat bars.
Wasabi flavor. Goes great with saki and sashimi.
Japan’s most popular flavor to date has been soy sauce, which is only sold widely in Tokyo. Each region and some cities have their own flavors. If you know Japan, you know that when people collect something, they will go to the far reaches of the Earth to complete a collection (don’t believe me, ask an avid Pokeman collector). Well then, it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that people will travel throughout Japan (mind you, Japan isn’t one big island. It is made up of many islands) to collect all the new varieties that the candy makers come up with.
Sounds tasty doesn't it?
Like myself, you’re probably wondering why there are so many flavors in Japan. I have your answer. Kit Kat is similar to the Japanese phrase, “Kittu katsu,” which is greeting of good luck. Thus, Kit Kats are given as good luck charms. Coupled with the afforementioned Japanese tendancy to want things that are hard to get, you now have a national craze. Since each region of Japan has their own regional taste, that is where you get all the crazy-to-us-Westerners flavors.
Okay so that still doesn’t 100% fully explain why just because you love roasted corn, you decided that it would be even better in a Kit Kat. The United States is a large country that’s full of regional flavors but you don’t see bbq Kit Kats in Memphis, lobster Kit Kats in Maine, cheesesteak Kit Kats in Philly, or jambalaya Kit Kats in New Orleans. Do any of my Japanese friends and readers want to help explain why your favorite food or drink has to made into a Kit Kat bar?
I could see myself enjoying strawberry cheesecake flavor.
Well if you try one and don’t enjoy the taste, you could always wash the flavor out with this.
What about where you live. What’s a food, drink or candy that people consume that may be considered weird to a visitor?
Follow Your Hart