Japanese culture is steeped in a rich history of tradition, and their snack foods are no exception. While Japan is known for innovation both in and out of the culinary realm, food is one aspect of Japanese culture that embraces the new while keeping true to many traditional cooking and eating practices. Many of the snack foods enjoyed in Japan today have been satisfying appetites and palates for decades or even centuries.
Candy
The Japanese are notorious for their insatiable sweet tooth, and candy has long been enjoyed in Japan as a snack. Japan's candy is world-famous for its large, unusual variety of flavors and vibrant, playful packaging. Candies and taffy made from rice are popular Japanese snacks with traditional roots. The candy is made through a time-honored tradition of using "Mizu-Ame" rice malt to craft mildly sweet treats. In keeping with tradition, rice malt is combined with sweet porridge, barley or other grains to create hard and soft candies that are given natural ginger, lotus, orange and green tea flavoring. Today, rice candy is available in dozens of classic and exotic flavors and is easy to purchase online or in an Asian supermarket.
Vegetables
Unlike most Americans, the Japanese often eat vegetables as snacks and even enjoy vegetable-flavored snack foods such as ice cream, cakes and candy. Dried vegetables are traditional snacks still enjoyed in Japan -- sun dried lotus root and daikon are two popular varieties. Fresh edamame beans have also served as a delicious light snack in Japan for centuries.
Warm Foods
Many warm foods are sold by street vendors and convenience stores in Japan as popular on-the-go snacks. Korokke is a classic warm Japanese snack with roots in Western influence. It is a small cake, similar to a croquette, that is breaded and fried. Many filling variations exist, but the classic filling is mashed potato seasoned with beef and onion. Another contemporary Japanese snack with traditional origins is nikuman, steamed buns. Nikuman have both sweet and savory fillings made from adzuki beans. Pork is a traditional nikuman filling, as are seafood and curry.
Cakes
Small cakes have been a part of traditional Japanese dining experiences for centuries, and they continue to be enjoyed in Japan as small snacks and dessert items. Red and green bean cakes are a traditional Japanese treat, as are little, green tea-flavored layer rice cakes. Wafer cakes are another traditional Japanese snack that incorporate sweet cream and fruit jellies or vegetable flavorings.
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