Living on Japan's vending machines

Not ashamed to say it, Japan's vending machines were one of the top reasons I wanted to go there.

I was not disappointed.

I heart Japan

A caramel and marshmallow pizza sounds hideous, but of course I have to link it.

Green tea and chestnut Oreos

Not only does Japan has wacky Dorito flavors, but they now have green tea Oreos and chestnut-flavored Oreo candy bars. I bow to your flavor insanity, Land of the Rising Sun.

Japanese Doritos

So apparently in Japan, they have a series of Doritos flavors meant to go with wine. Because that's the kind of snack you want with wine.

The flavors include Tandoori Chicken and Lemon and Cheese Fondue and Garlic Toast.

So awesome. Reminds me of the time we were starving in a London pub and we asked them what flavor crisps (potato chips, to us) they had. They listed off some exotic flavors and one of them was "Doritos." To which we howled and informed the befuddled Brits that "Doritos is not a flavor."

Well, this will freak you right the heck out

Well, this will freak you right the heck out. And I thought our urban legend of saying 'Bloody Mary' into a darkened mirror was scary. Japan is way crazier than us.

Whatever you do, don't Google this term. Uggggh. Can't unsee that.

Japan has even more creepy urban legends. And this one, too.

Japanese "Office"

Two of my favorite things combined: Japan, and "The Office."

Cola Kit-Kats

I'd love to try these: Cola Kit-Kats. Or, as they say on the label: "Cola Soda Kit-Kats." They also have Lemon Soda ones.

Mixed-juice Kit-Kats

More great Kit-Kat flavors from the Land of the Rising Sun. This Mixed Juice version combines peach, banana and strawberry flavors.

Goodbye Kitty?

Is Hello Kitty on the way out?

Rob, Sue and I went to the Hello Kitty theme park, Sanrio Puroland, in Japan. It was every bit as wacked as you think.

I don't really want to say Hello to Kitty in my bathroom

Am very surprised I didn't see a bathroom like this in Japan.

Corny Kit-Kats

My pal Linda Holmes and her NPR buddies taste-test a variety of Japanese Kit-Kats, from corn and soy sauce to creme brulee and roasted soybean.

My friend Sue, who went to Japan with us in 2006, LOVES the green-tea version. I am not sure I could force myself to sample the soy sauce one, though.

Cat on a business trip!

Cat on a business trip! Bless you, Japan. (Via Metafilter.)

Peanuts girls rock out in Japan

This combines two of my favorite things: The Peanuts gang, and Japanese advertising.

Catchy!

Taste of Japan

Ginger-ale Kit-Kats, with a gingery, lemony accent. Japan has the best weird candy of all.

Shop online from Japan

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Now HERE'S a good Japanese Kit-Kat

To try and cleanse all our palates from that soy sauce Kit-Kat, may I offer the salt and caramel Kit-Kat bites?

Kit Kat-san

I've written before about the wonderful Kit-Kat flavors we found in Japan (green tea! strawberry cheesecake!).

This article about them mentions one flavor that I don't think I could stomach or even smell: SOY SAUCE KIT-KATS.

You may commence your gagging now, right along with me.

Nestle says they've released 200 flavors in Japan over the past decade. I guess when you put out that many, you gotta try anything.

(Via Candy Blog's Twitter feed.)

Oh, and the Impulsive Buy reviews it and says it tastes more like maple syrup than soy sauce. So there you go.

Scorn cheese flavor?

Scorn cheese flavor? Does it smell so bad that people scorn you for your breath alone?

Domo arigato!

How cute is this? LJC posted pictures of 7-Eleven's new Domo promotion.

That is seriously the world's cutest coffee cup.

7-Eleven always reminds me of one night in Tokyo, when we were trying to find the YWCA, and asked for directions at a small store. There was a bit of a language barrier, but they kept telling us to look for "Seven Company." We roamed and roamed the strange dark Japanese streets but couldn't find any "Seven Company."

Turns out they meant 7-Eleven, which is called 7 and i Holdings there (because...I seriously have no idea, but they don't have Slurpees or Big Gulps because the Japanese didn't take to them).

Anyway, I suddenly had sympathy for all those teams on "Amazing Race" that I'd previously

sneered at for being too stupid to interpret a clue.

Because had I been watching us on TV, and then the camera cut to 7-Eleven, then back to the hapless team walking right by it, as you know the camera would have, I'd have snorted and thought how stupid they were not to think "Seven Company" equals "7-Eleven."

But when it's really you on unfamiliar streets in a strange country ... sometimes the obvious is not so obvious.

I got off-track there, didn't I? Here's 7-Eleven's press release about Domo-nation.

Kit-Kat craziness

I've written before about the bizarre Kit-Kat flavors we found in Japan. Green tea was our favorite, but there were plenty of others.

They've only continued to add to the menu. Scroll down the Kit-Kat section of the Tasty Japan blog and be amazed! I've mentioned before that "sport drink" and "vegetable" were among two of the most horrid sounding flavors. I think I'd like Ramune, if it really tastes like lemonade. Not so sure about lemon vinegar, though. Also, caramelized sweet potato?