Photo - SkyTree Omiyage

This is a Sweet Sable cookie, an omiyage from Tokyo SkyTree.

Meiji's Milk Chocolate 85 Years

Meiji's Milk Chocolate is the iconic chocolate bar of Japan, similar to Hershey's in the US. This product first went on sale in Sept. 13, 1926.

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/chocolate/mchoco/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Photo - Matcha Futaba Rice Crackers

Matcha Futaba Sembei 抹茶二葉 or Rice Crackers are associated with Shuzenji 修善寺, a well known temple and resort in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Yamazaki Hokkaido Specials

In collaboration with the Nippon Ham Fighters professional baseball team, based in Sapporo, Yamazaki has introduced a number of products with the team mascot on it. Varieties include wiener Danish, milk sponge cake, ryuta fried chicken burger and a ham, egg and cheese burger. These burgers are displayed in stores, unrefrigerated, in the bread and pastry section. The best variety by far is the meat spaghetti and chicken cutlet stuffed donut. I would love to have been around the table when this product was discussed. At some point, all in the room must have shaken their heads in agreement that a meat spaghetti and chicken cutlet stuffed donut was the way to go.

http://www.yamazakipan.co.jp/gotouchi/index.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Photo - Two Fall Beers from Kirin and Suntory

These are two fall beers, one from Kirin called Taste of Fall 秋味, and the other from Suntory called Fall Enjoyment 秋楽.

Photo - Mizaki Amazake or Sweet Sake

This is Mizaki Brewery 株式会社三崎屋醸造 Amazake make from Niigata rice with no additives 新潟米無加糖あま酒. Amazake usually contains little or no alcohol and can even be offered to children. This amazake is refrigerated and is prepared by diluting with water and heating. It makes several servings, the number depending on how thick you prefer it. One pack sells for 370 yen.

Yumean Ayu Tempura from Biwako‏

Yumean family restaurant is offering ayu or sweetfish tempura using fish caught in Lake Biwako 琵琶湖, Japan's largest lake. Sometimes tempura is dipped into special sauce, but other times it is dipped in salt or a salt mixture. This special offers three different colors of salt. Not other information is provided, but I assume each salt is naturally colored and is separately sourced.

http://www.skylark.co.jp/yumean/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Photo - Homi Shumai

Homi Shumai 豊味焼売 - shumai are a steamed Chinese pork dumpling wrapped in a thin flour and water pancake. While having long been part of Japanese food culture, shumai are still thought of as Chinese food. These are frozen shumai and are prepared in a skillet. The maker 株式会社横周デリカ does not appear to have a website, but is located in Yokohama, which makes sense because Yokohama is a center for Chinese food and hosts Yokohama Chinatown.

Photo - Pork for Use with Ginger Pork

Ginger seasoned pork is very popular in Japan. This pork from Chiba is for use in preparation of ginger pork and the directions suggest using ginger, mirin, sake and soy sauce in its preparation.

Photo - Wendy's Japan Premium Burger Box

Morinaga Oishii Gyunyu

As mentioned yesterday, Morinaga also has an Oishii Gyunyu or Delicious Milk brand, 森永のおいしい牛乳. They are in direct competition and both sell at a premium. They only differ in the proprietary processes they employ. Meiji's process depends on one key step - replacing oxygen from the milk with nitrogen prior to pasteurization to prevent off flavors. The Morinaga process depends on the optimal combination of processes and methods to produce and overall superior method. Taste is very subjective and these products promise a marginal difference which will appeal to milk lovers or people who previously just didn't quite like milk for some difficult to pinpoint reason. Research in this area is described on the Meiji website. But in the end it all comes down to whether you can taste the difference in either or both of these products, and if you are willing to pay the premium price.

Meiji Oishii Gyunyu or Delicious Milk
Went on sale in 2002
Natural Taste Process - removes oxygen prior to pasteurization to prevent off flavors.
Sells at a premium

Morinaga Oishii Gyunyu or Delicious Milk
Went on sale in 2003
Fresh Taste Process - infusion pasteurization, control of fat globule size and package coloring which best protects the milk
Sells at a premium

http://www.oishi-milk.com/products/index.html

http://news.mynavi.jp/articles/2010/06/22/morinaga/index.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.