7 Weird Japanese Candies that you have to try

Japan is known for many things - natural beauty, a rich and unique culture, diverse cuisine, and awesome anime and manga. It is also famous for its eccentricity and weirdness and how Japan pushes boundaries in candies. At times going beyond what is considered normal and coming up with mind-boggling creations previously unheard of. 

There are, for example, Genghis Khan Lamb Flavored Caramel, Chocolate Covered Dry Squid, and Gorilla “Boogers.” Big candy companies such as Nestle Japan (Kit-Kat) and Meiji provided products that are part of the list of weird candies. However, there are many more companies producing weird candies. 

All the brave and adventurous candy lovers out there, you are in for a treat as we unravel these weird Japanese candies that bring together concepts, naming, designs, flavor combinations, and taste that surpass even your wildest imagination (or your scariest nightmares!). 

Meiji Niginigi Gummy Candy Sushi-Making Kit

This sushi-shaped Gummy candy-making kit from the giant candy maker Meiji is perfect for sparking your imagination and taking your creativity and snacking experience to the next level.

It contains colored gummy parts that make up the sushi toppings and several white gummy parts that resemble the lower rice part of sushi. When you combine the top and the bottom elements, their appearance resembles popular Japanese sushi such as tuna sushi, egg sushi, squid sushi, etc. Although they look like sushi, rest assured, they do not smell or taste like seafood at all. The gummy parts are either lemon, banana, or Japanese plum flavored. You can enjoy different juicy and fruity flavor combinations depending on how you combine the top and the bottom gummy elements. Sushi and candy – the best of both worlds!

Buy Niginigi Now!

Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) Grilled Lamb Flavored Caramel

Unlike some of the other candies on this list which were weird due to their naming or design, this caramel has a flavor and taste that is actually as weird as its name suggests. When it comes to weirdness, this is the real deal.

 “Jingisukan” (Genghis Khan) is a traditional regional dish made with grilled lamb and vegetables from Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost region. Based on this famous dish, Sapporo Gourmet Foods Ltd. released their Jingisukan flavored caramel in 2005, and its popularity as a classic Hokkaido souvenir candy has not waned ever since.

This caramel is chewy and sweet, with meat, onion, garlic, and leek flavors. Just like you, we also wonder how a strange and unappetizing flavor combination like this can survive for so long, but it seems to be a classic case of “it’s so bad, it’s good.” Often referred to as the “worst-tasting candy in Japan,” it has been featured in many reality TV shows and news, and now it has become a cult classic weird candy in Japan.

Buy Jingisukan Caramels Now!

Kracie Otoko Kaoru Chewing Gum (Man Fragrance Chewing Gum)

Yes, we know the name of this chewing gum is very questionable. However, it is quite brilliant once you know the real idea behind this chewing gum. It is not that this chewing gum smells ‘manly’. The secret behind the naming is that chewing this gum will make anyone smell like a walking rose garden! This chewing gum is infused with a special substance called ‘Geraniol’, a primary component of rose oil. When someone chews on this gum, this substance is absorbed into the sweat glands, causing the person to smell like Damask roses, which is a premium quality rose with exceptionally sweet, intense, and floral fragrance.

Heart Co. Ltd. Toilet candy Moko Moko Mokolet DIY Toilet Foam Kit

Just when you think the candy ideas in Japan could not get any weirder, a Japanese candy maker will pop up with a new and even better (read: weirder) candy to prove you wrong. This bizarre yet somehow ‘kawaii’ candy from Heart Co. Ltd takes ‘weird’ to a whole new level.

This comes in a colorful box that contains everything you need to set up this absurdly indulgent DIY candy experience – a straw, plastic components to build a miniature toilet, two separate packets of flavored fizzy candy powder (cola and strawberry), stickers to decorate your mini toilet. You have to build the mini toilet using the parts, decorate it to maximum ‘kawaii-ness’ using the stickers, pour the flavored powder into the cistern, and then pour a little water. What will happen next is that the toilet will start to overflow as fizzy and foamy candy deliciousness rises from the toilet. All you have to do is to stop the toilet from overflowing by sipping the candy foam using the straw included in the package.

You might be rubbing your eyes to check if you are actually reading this or are in a candy fantasy dream (or a nightmare?), but we assure you, everything described here is true. If you want to check it for yourself, you can go to their website, which even has a demonstration video.

Buy Moko Moko Mokolet Now!

Gorilla no Hanakuso (Gorilla boogers) Candied Dry Black Soybean

Released by Okai Saburo Shoten Co. Ltd. in 2001, this sweet candy has since become a popular Japanese snack commonly sold at gift shops in Japanese zoos. Other variations, such as Penguin Boogers and Panda Boogers, are available, but Gorilla Boogers candy is the most popular.

Although the name of this candy might make even the most daring candy lovers take a step back and reconsider whether to try it out, the candy itself does not contain any boogers. The “Gorilla Boogers” bag contains dried and sweetened black soybeans that appear like boogers – small, small, and shriveled. Contrary to the naming and the unattractive appearance, this candy is surprisingly delicious.

Buy Gorilla Boogers Now!

KingBake Choco Saki-Iki (Chocolate Coated Dry Squid)

Established in 1929, KingBake is a renowned Japanese bakery and confection maker. As weird as the name sounds, this confection is not to be taken as a joke. This prestigious company takes pride in every sweet they make it has been no different for this chocolate-covered dried squid as well – KingBake has put in maximum effort and thought to make it taste delicious.

Premium quality dried squid meat has been coated first with crispy flakes of Feuilletine, a French confection made from thin half-baked crêpes. Then it is coated with rich milk chocolate. The chewiness and rich, salty umami from the squid, the crispiness of Feuilletine flakes, and the sweet and creamy chocolate all come together to make a unique confection that is absurd in theory yet delicious in reality.

Buy Chocolate Dry Squid Now!

Nestle Wasabi Falvored KitKat

It is almost impossible to list Japanese sweets and not include KitKat. That being said, this weird KitKat flavor has rightly earned its place in this list of weird Japanese candies, as the Wasabi flavor in a sweet chocolate snack is not something you come across every day. Wasabi is Japanese horseradish and has a strong peppery, mustardy, and pungent flavor. However, the flavor of Wasabi in this KitKat is quite mild, and it is more of a hint that is effectively mellowed by the creaminess and sweetness of chocolate.

Shop Kit-Kats Now!

These are some of the weird Japanese candies you must try at least once and share with your friends, relatives, and colleagues, as these candies are not just weird but also act as excellent conversation starters and ice-breakers. On top of that, candies with weird concepts, tastes, and flavors also have the chance of being discontinued, so it is best to try them while they are still available on the market. So waste no time, and good luck with your weird Japanese candy adventures!