What’s With All The KitKats in Japan? And Where to Buy Yours

Japan is a land where almost everything can be made cuter, brighter, and frankly, a bit more fun than it is elsewhere. And the humble KitKat bar is no exception – here’s why you might find yourself KitKat hunting on your Japan trip. And the best places to look.

While it’s true that chocolate is always a good souvenir to pick up wherever you are traveling, there’s a particular obsession for travelers to Japan with KitKats. And you might be asking yourself why – what’s it all about?

Why does everyone who goes to Japan – and the Japanese people themselves – have a thing about KitKats?

I mean, their combination of chocolate and wafers doesn’t make them the most memorable chocolate bar out there – often the most exciting thing about them is that they make a nice snapping sound – but that’s outside of Japan.

KitKats in Japan, are not boring brown biscuit bars – instead, they come in bright colors, the strangest flavors… and, they bring you luck.

Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

The Magic of the Kitto Katto

Their association with luck is the reason that KitKats are so beloved by the Japanese themselves.

In Japanese, the word KitKat is said as Kitto Katto which sounds rather like the phrase Kitto Katsu which translates to ‘surely bound to win’ in Japanese, and as such, the KitKat has become kind of a good luck charm in Japan.

They are commonly given as gifts to students before they take their exams and, rather than eating them straight away, as is usually the case when small children are presented with items of chocolate, they keep them until the exams are over.

The result of this is that KitKats are one of the best-selling chocolate brands in Japan. And that has led to an explosion of different flavors on sale in the country. You’ll find entire shops dedicated to specialty KitKat in Japan and at one point, you could even design your own KitKat – with flowers on!

What Flavors of Japanese KitKat Are There

What flavors aren’t there is probably a shorter list!

When KitKat’s first arrived in Japan in 1973 they were the type that most of us are used to, but in the year 2000, someone at Japanese Nestle decided to see what would happen if they made a strawberry one.

It was released to a limited market in Hokkaido in northern Japan and sold incredibly well – so they decided to see what else they could do.

Since then, there have been over 300 different flavors of KitKat released in Japan including the matcha tea one that you can now often find outside of Japan, but, also, things like pineapple, pistachio, guava, banana, apple – basically if there’s a fruit, there’s been a KitKat flavor of it.

There are also a lot of weird Japanese KitKat flavors like sake (probably the only one I’ve liked), baked potato, edamame, European cheese, red bean paste, sweet potato, and soy sauce.

It’s like every few months they think ‘Okay, now what’ – and throw a baseball into the local supermarket and see what they hit first.

Japanese KitKats are made specifically in Japan and they have two factories there – they had to open a second one in Himeji (close to Osaka) in 2017 after the first one, in Kasumiguara (north of Tokyo), couldn’t keep up with the demand.

If you want to get a sense of what it’s like in the factory, have a look at this piece from the New York Times Magazine which is the best piece I’ve ever read on the Japanese KitKat (phrases you never thought you’d say in your life no 207).

What Do Japanese KitKats Taste Like?

Intensely sweet is the main thing that always comes to mind when I first bite into them.

The fruit-based ones particularly are very, very sugary.

If you’re expecting anything that vaguely resembles normal chocolate forget it, it might have a similar texture to the KitKats you’re used to, and snap in the same way, but that’s as far as the similarities go.

The good news is though, that in most cases, the KitKat I’ve tried in Japan have been quite small – mini bars that consist of just two small fingers and so, that level of sweetness isn’t too bad.

I certainly couldn’t eat a Western-sized four-finger one in something like Guava or Pineapple.

But it is a fun experience to buy a whole load of them just to see what they taste like.

Where to Buy KitKats in Japan

This depends on which level of the KitKat hierarchy you wish to purchase – because there are currently three levels of KitKat to buy in Japan.

Some flavors are introduced nationwide and you’ll find them everywhere, others are limited edition, and even more exclusive ones are only released for a short time in specific places in Japan.

True KitKat devotees spend hours of their trips trying to track down the most interesting, or strangest, option – or, just collecting as many different flavors as they can.

Depending on how much time you want to spend in the pursuit of chocolate-based excitement may depend on where you want to buy yours.

Buying Basic KitKats

If you just want to try them for the experience (or buy some packs for the people at work) then, you probably just want to buy the big packs of small KitKats and if you want to buy these there are two easy places to visit.

The first of them is Don Quijote or DonKi as it’s also known. These massive stores sell a bit of everything and are a great place to stock up on all sorts of goodies when you’re in Japan – including KitKats.

They’re often open late into the evening – some are even 24 hours (if there’s one of these near your hotel heading to an all-night Don Quijote is a good thing to do at 7 am in the morning in Tokyo when pretty much everything else is closed and you’ve woken up with jetlag! See some other ideas for early morning activities here. ).

Another good place to find your basic Japanese KitKat flavors – chemists/drugstores.

I know that seems odd to those in the UK or Australia where the only edible items in a chemist might be protein bars – but maybe not so much to those in the US where CVS is a pharmacy that also sells snacks and magazines. Certain Japanese drug stores sell a bit of everything – and they are one the cheapest places to stock up on bags of KitKats.

And if you leave things until the last minute you’ll also find the more basic KitKats at the airports.

If you don’t want a big bag of KitKats and just want to see what all the fuss is about, then have a look in one of the thousands of convenience stores like Lawson, Family Mart, or 7-11 that you’ll find in Japan. They’ll sell smaller packs. These are also a good place to find more local varieties.

Buying Unusual KitKats

While the shops above will have bags of Japanese KitKat flavors you haven’t seen before (just because you’re now in Japan), they aren’t necessarily the most unusual, or unique, flavors of KitKat on offer.

If you want to find these, your first stop in seeing what’s new should be the Nestle website (you will probably need to translate it) which has a What’s New Section detailing the latest flavor releases – you can then keep an eye out for the packets on your travels.

Another top tip is to look for boxed KitKats, which are normally more limited-edition or unusual versions. You’ll find some of these in Don Quijote but the best selection will be found in more specialist sweet stores.

The one to visit in Tokyo is in an area called First Avenue Tokyo which is the basement under Tokyo Station.

We spoke about this area in our guide to manga and anime as it’s also home to Character Street where you’ll find stores based around many of the cute or courageous anime and manga characters you see in Japan. But they also have a food section.

And it’s AMAZING! You’d never believe that food could come in so many cute shapes and colors! But, right now we’re focusing on Japanese KitKat flavors so…

How to Find the Best KitKat Shop in Tokyo

The KitKats are found in the area known as Shokoku Gotochi Plaza and the store’s name translates as Countries Local Plaza. It doesn’t have an English name so look for this 諸国 ご当地プラザ which is written on the front in white lettering on a clear sign.

Here’s a picture of it.

They don’t have a map in English, but it’s store G38 on this map. In case the map has changed, its level B1, at the far left-hand side where the toilets are – past the ramen shops of Tokyo Ramen Street.

You can get very lost down here – so, a good way to get into the area quickly is via this entrance which is located by the Yaesu South Exit of Tokyo Station – a good marker on the map is Omusubi Komein takeout shop (that’s the one in the picture).

Follow the stairs down and you’ll end up in the vicinity of the KitKat shop.

Note: This area was one of the few places where I saw some very long lines in Tokyo when I accidentally ended up in Tokyo during Golden Week, I’m guessing it’s also going to be busy at weekends and other holidays so try and time your visit for a weekday if you can.

Buying Posh KitKats

If you’re buying KitKats as a gift for friends or family in Japan, the bars sold in the multipacks, don’t quite cut it – in this case, you might want to then go to a specialist KitKat shop.

There are now two types of these – a KitKat Chocolatery in Tokyo and the new KitKat BreakTown in Osaka.

In these exclusive KitKat stores, you’ll find flavors created by master patisserie chef Yasumasa Takagi that contain the best chocolate and other ingredients. This is where to come if you want to try things like a volcanic chocolate KitKat.

Where to Find the KitKat Chocolatory in Tokyo

There used to be four KitKat stores in Tokyo but as I checked and updated this post in August 2023 most of the KitKat Chocolatory in Tokyo have closed – including the Shibuya KitKat Store and the Ginza shop. Now the only one left is in Ikebukuro.

Specifically, it’s located within the Seibo Ikebukuro department store. You’ll find it in the basement.

It’s not a cheap way to buy your KitKats, you’re looking at 300 yen (around US$3, AU$4 or £2) or more per single bar here, but they are fun to look around.

Do check the locations page though in case they open more again before I get the chance to come back for another look – you’ll need Google Translate.

Can You Still Make Customized KitKats in Tokyo?

There used to be a fourth type of KitKat you could purchase – customized KitKats made to your own favorite tastes.

This used to be available at the KitKat Chocolatery in Shibuya, but, as I update this post in August 2023, this service is not available as the KitKat Chocolatory in Shibuya has closed

Buying KitKats Outside Tokyo

I admit that the above list is rather Tokyo-centric.

That’s because while there used to be a few KitKat Chocolatory outside of Tokyo, most of them have closed. However, a new type of KitKat shop has opened in Japan – and this is in Osaka.

The New KitKat Shop in Osaka

It’s called KitKat Shop and, according to Nestle in Japan, it’s opened due to popular demand. It sells KitKat Chocolatory products meaning you’ll find the best high-end and unusual products here.

It’s located in the Rinku Premium Outlets mall by Kansai International Airport. You can reach here in about 40-50 minutes from Namba station. It’s also got some cute KitKat-shaped benches!

See more information here (you’ll need to translate it from Japanese). Hopefully, this is the start of the return of the KitKat shops to Japan – fingers crossed.

Image courtesy of Nestle Japan. Used with permission.

If you’re not going to Tokyo, or Osaka don’t despair though, you will find the basic and some boxed KitKats all over Japan in Don Quijote or drugstores. It might also be worth looking in supermarkets if you find one. And, also look in convenience stores for regional specialties.

In Kyoto, have a look at the food hall of the Takashimaya Department Store where you might find some more unusual ones.

There’s also a relatively new option to buy KitKats in Japan – getting your KitKats delivered to your hotel.

Getting KitKats Delivered To Your Hotel

If you don’t have time to visit the KitKat stores in Tokyo or Osaka or are staying somewhere else in Japan, you can also buy KitKats online and pick them up in a store in Akihabara, or have them delivered to your hotel in Japan.

The service is offered by KitKat Japan. Have a look at how it works and find the flavors on offer and prices here.

Where to Buy Japanese KitKats Outside Japan?

It is possible to buy Japanese KitKat flavors outside of Japan. If you have a local Japanese or Asian supermarket near you then that’s a good place to start looking. Ditto Daiso if you have one of those near you.

If you don’t have a store nearby or want something a bit more unusual or exclusive then your best bet is to look at KitKat sellers that buy their product direct from Japan

There are quite a few of these but here are three with a good choice of products.

Dodekomo

You might want to start at Dodekomo which sells all sorts of products from Japan – including KitKats and lots of other Japanese sweets. Find the chocolate page here.

I’d also suggest picking up some Crunky and Mountains of Meiji biscuits which are two of my favorite treats when I’m in Japan.

KitKat Japan

Not surprisingly you’ll find an amazing selection of Japanese KitKat flavors at KitKat Japan which also ships internationally as well as to hotels in Japan. They started in 2020 when it wasn’t possible for people to get to Japan and buy their favorite treats – and they’re still going strong.

OMG Japan

Or, have a look at OMG Japan which offers all sorts of products shipped directly from Japan. Find their KitKat selection here.

So, there you have it – our guide to the magic that is the Japanese KitKat flavors and where to buy them.

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