Kit Kats are surprisingly a staple chocolate in Japan, so much that Japan’s Kit Kat sales are second highest in the world, the first being its country of origin - England. Find out why they’re so beloved and all the fun flavors Japan has - much more than other countries!
Table of Contents
- Regularly Available Japanese Kit Kat Flavors List
- Regional Japanese Kit Kat Flavors List
- Limited Edition & Seasonal Japanese Kit Kat Flavors
- Where to Buy Kit Kats in Japan
- But Why Are Kit Kats so Popular in Japan?
Kit Kats originated in England but they’ve taken a life of their own in Japan as a staple snack found in supermarkets, convenience stores, even gift shops! Japan has the second highest sales in the world for Kit Kats, second only to its origin country.
A big reason is because of the culture specific marketing that came from a coincidence! Kit Kat in Japanese - キットカット Kitto katto - sounds like a phrase きっと勝つとぉ (Kitto katsuto) in the Kyushu dialect, which is a phrase that means “You’re sure to win (or be successful)”.
Thanks to this phrase, Kit Kats became a popular present to give students studying for university and high school entrance exams to encourage them that they will do well. This spread to other areas in life, including tourism, and now there’s a booming business for Kit Kats in Japan! You can read more about it below, but first, let’s get to those Japanese Kit Kat flavors!
Regularly Available Japanese Kit Kat Flavors List
Let’s start with the basics. Here are the Japanese Kit Kat flavors you will most likely find in stores, as these are the “regulars”.
Milk
This is the OG, the one that everyone around the world familiar with Kit Kats already knows. The milk chocolate wrapping the crunchy wafers inside is a delight, and the mini size popular in Japan makes it the perfect snack.
Dark
The dark chocolate version is also quite popular. The slogan is オトナの甘さ (otona no amasa) which means “sweetness for adults”. For those that don’t have as much of a sweet tooth but need a small sugar boost during the day, this one is perfect. A personal favorite.
White
Despite being a “regular”, you may not always find this one. So when you do, it can feel kind of special. The white chocolate with the chocolate-y wafer is a perfect match!
Strawberry
Yes, strawberry is part of the regular lineup! For strawberry lovers, this creamy strawberry chocolate wafer is the perfect amount of sweet and tart. (There's plenty more strawberry options by the way so keep reading!)
Green Tea
And of course, it’s not Japan without its matcha green tea Kit Kats. This one often sells out at places like Don Quixote because it’s the perfect souvenir, the perfect gift to take back home!
Whole Wheat Biscuit
And newest in the lineup of regulars is this “whole wheat biscuit” flavor released in 2021. It’s meant to be a healthier option, less sweet but still satisfies your munchies. It’s been quite a hit, especially with the working crowd as it’s a great snack during the work day.
Kit Kat Little
They also have Kit Kat bars and something called Kit Kat Little which are bite-sized round Kit Kat balls that come in a ziplock pouch. These are easier to eat for a quick snack, and can be kept in your desk. But for sharing, the individually wrapped mini Kit Kats are the most popular.
Writer's Pick
Regional Japanese Kit Kat Flavors List
And here we get into the regional flavors!
Japan has flavors called ご当地キットカット (Gotouchi Kit Kat) which are the region-exclusive flavors. They feature something famous from that region, usually a fruit, tea or local sweets. If you’re traveling around Japan, make sure to check if they have a local specialty!
And they recently redesigned the boxes for their Gotouchi line as well, so enjoy the Japanese-esque designs!
Hokkaido Red Bean & Strawberry
Hokkaido’s exclusive flavor is Hokkaido Azuki & Ichigo (Red Bean & Strawberry). It uses Hokkaido-made red bean and strawberry powders to make this white chocolate covered Kit Kat. If you love ichigo daifuku (strawberry mochi), you’ll love this!
Tochigi Tochiotome Strawberry
Tochiotome is a type of strawberry grown in Tochigi that’s popular and loved all over Japan. So it’s perfect that you can get a Tochiotome strawberry flavored Kit Kat when you visit Tochigi!
Tokyo Island Lemon
This one might be surprising, as most tourists probably don’t associate Tokyo with lemons. However Tokyo has islands to the south named the Ogasawara Islands where lemons are produced. And yes, the islands are considered a part of Tokyo! These Tokyo Shima Lemon Kit Kats are great for people who like more tart flavors as well as those looking for an unconventional Tokyo souvenir.
Yokohama Strawberry Cheesecake
This flavor is picked because Yokohama has many western influences and architecture due to history; this perfect bite of cream cheese and strawberries fits the Yokohama image well. It’s also considered a very sophisticated and stylish choice of dessert and gift as well!
Shinshuu (Nagano) Apple
Shinshuu is an old name for the region that makes up Nagano Prefecture today, which is famous for apples! Thus the Shinshuu Ringo flavor. It’s a refreshing sweet flavor different from the other fruit flavors listed so far. Make sure to pick it up along with other apple products in Nagano!
Yamanashi Kikou Shingen Mochi
Shingen mochi is a popular type of mochi from Yamanashi that comes in individual trays, and eaten with a special brown sugar sauce. The shingen mochi used for this Kit Kat is from Kikouya, a popular Yamanashi traditional sweets confectionery. It’s amazing how they were able to turn that nostalgic taste into a Kit Kat!
Shizuoka Wasabi
Some people think this is a joke but nope! Wasabi is a popular ingredient made in Shizuoka Prefecture (this one is available throughout Kanto). Usually people use wasabi when eating sushi or to add a kick to soups, but it works surprisingly well as a sweet when mixed with white chocolate. It is an acquired taste, however, so it’s important to warn the people you pass them out to...
Red Bean Toasted Sandwich
Azuki sando - red bean toasted sandwiches - are a popular breakfast and snack food in the Tokai and Hokuriku regions, which is where these Kit Kats are sold. In cafes in this region, you can get Ogura Toast, which is toast with red bean paste spread on top, and this Kit Kat captures that taste and texture with the crunch of the wafers inside.
Side note: Did you know that one way to eat Kit Kats is to toast them? Just put them on aluminum foil and toast them for 2 minutes in a 1000W oven toaster.
Kyoto Uji Matcha
And of course, Kyoto’s region exclusive Kit Kat is Uji matcha, a special kind of high grade matcha made in the city of Uji. The matcha used for this Kit Kat was carefully selected, and you should be able to appreciate the refined taste. Plus the packaging looks very traditional so it’s a great gift!
Read more about Uji Matcha here.
Kyoto Uji Houjicha
While matcha green tea tends to be the popular Japanese tea with overseas visitors, houjicha is just as loved in this country, earning its position as the other Kyoto region exclusive flavor. The gentle taste of the tea mixed with white chocolate will surely delight tea lovers.
Hiroshima Momiji Manju
Momiji manju is a traditional Japanese sweet native to Hiroshima, and many people buy them as souvenirs. Kit Kat consulted Takatsudo which is said to be the maker of the original momiji manju to turn the beloved sweets into this Hiroshima exclusive flavor. Enjoy the taste of the red bean and the outer pastry wrapped into a small Kit Kat.
Kyushu Amaou Strawberry
Amaou are another popular type of strawberry in Japan, made in the Kyushu region, specifically in Fukuoka Prefecture. (Japan really likes strawberries!!) These are a great alternative to bringing back the actual strawberries themselves.
Okinawa Purple Yam
Beniimo (purple yams or sweet potatoes) are a famous product of Okinawa and southern Kyushu regions. (By the way, Japanese people also really like sweet potatoes, especially in fall! There’s a separate sweet potato flavor mentioned below.) There’s a variety of beniimo flavored products to get in this region and Kit Kats are a great option!
Others
The last three are not in the same type of packaging as the others, but are technically still “region” or Japan exclusive.
Tokyo Banana is a really popular Tokyo confectionery and souvenir, and now you can get it in Kit Kat form!
You can also get the Strawberry Cheesecake flavor in Mt. Fuji packaging instead.
And last but not least, you can get Nihonshu or Japanese sake flavored Kit Kats as a Japan souvenir. This was created in collaboration with Masuizumi, and is sure to delight any sake lovers when given as a gift.
Perhaps more region exclusive flavors are on their way, as other cities and regions not listed above have had limited edition flavors in the past!
Limited Edition & Seasonal Japanese Kit Kat Flavors
Kit Kat often releases limited edition Kit Kats - whether flavors or packaging - including seasonal ones.
For example, in spring, there’s always sakura cherry blossom flavored ones, mint chocolate in summer, chestnut and sweet potato in fall, etc.
They even have holiday packaging, such as for Halloween:
This year, they released this cute Santa Kit Kat for winter!
And even had these World Cup themed ones in celebration of the Japan National team:
Other times, they release new flavors for a limited time throughout the year. For example, they recently released Coffee and Pistachio flavors, only available in Fall 2022.
The only problem with these limited edition flavors is that they’re only offered for a designated period, outside which you can’t often find them. However, if you live in Japan, it does mean getting to try out different fun flavors released every few months or so. And if you’re visiting, you can try out whatever’s available at the time along with the regulars.
Where to Buy Kit Kats in Japan
There’s many places to buy Kit Kats in Japan.
- Supermarkets - regular flavors, occasionally the limited edition packing/flavors
- Convenience stores - the regular flavors, limited edition / seasonal flavors
- Drug stores in the snack section if they have one
- Miscellaneous stores like Don Quixote
- Kit Kat Chocolatory in Seibu Ikebukuro Department Store (unfortunately the one in Shibuya closed and the Ikebukuro one isn’t as big) - special flavors / types not sold elsewhere
- Online at Amazon
- Airports and major train stations for the region exclusive flavors
But Why are Kit Kats so Popular in Japan?
Let’s take a deeper look at why Kit Kats are so popular even to this day in Japan - and not just among tourists!
Entrance Exams
As we stated above:
Kit Kat pronounced in Japanese is キットカット (kitto katto) which sounds similar to きっと勝つとぉ (Kitto katsuto) in the Kyushu dialect, which in standard Japanese is きっと勝つよ (kitto katsuyo) - a phrase that means “You’re sure to win (or be successful)”.
Thus in the 2000s, Kit Kats started to become popular gifts in Kyushu for students taking entrance exams for their next level of education (usually university, but high school as well). This eventually caught on to the whole country, and so now it’s common for people to hand students Kit Kats as encouragement and tokens of good luck.
Around entrance exam periods every year (around December to February), special Kit Kats are sold with messages encouraging the students.
For example, this one from the 2021 packaging says “You’re doing your best today too!”
And this one says “You’re almost there! Believe in yourself and do your best!”
They’re passed from parent to child, teacher and tutors to students, among classmates and friends. It’s a great way to not only give someone a short snack break, but encourage them or each other in the process.
General Encouragement in Life and a Fun Way to Communicate
This phrase, きっと勝つ kitto katsu, can also apply to other areas of life, and thus Kit Kats have become a way to show encouragement for sports matches and tournaments - even at a nationwide level such as with the World Cup or Koukou Yakyuu (National High School Baseball Tournament) special packaging - and also passed out to encourage or thank friends or colleagues, or even when wanting to confess romantic feelings for someone.
Perhaps you’re imagining a large Kit Kat bar, but the most popular kind in Japan are the mini individually packaged ones. These are easy to buy in bulk (there’s usually 12 in a bag or 3 in a box), and easy to hand out to multiple people without burdening them or yourself with a large chocolate bar.
Kit Mail
You can even send a Kit Kat box through the mail - called Kit Mail - and there’s space to write a personal message on the box. The above box is the 2023 version, includes 4 Kit Kats and can be sent for 250 yen!
There’s also a cute rabbit themed 2023 New Year’s box to hand out when giving New Year’s Money, or to just say thank you for the following and upcoming year. Every year, they include the zodiac animal for the year, and have a space to write a message on the back. They cost 150 yen and include 3 Kit Kats. (These cannot be sent in the mail.)
Both Kit Mail and the 2023 New Year’s box will be sold until March 31, 2023.
Special Collaborations
Recently, Kit Kat did a promotional campaign using a slightly different wordplay with their name, asking people to tweet about their experience where Kit Kats served as a きっかけ (kikkake - a starting point / opportunity / chance).
The hashtag was #きっかけはキットカットで (kikkake wa Kit Kat de - I got the chance with a Kit Kat). Many stories are about how they were able to start a conversation with someone which led to a deeper friendship or relationship as a result of giving them or being handed a Kit Kat.
They had artists illustrate the various situations, which you can check out here (mobile only).
To Close
Kit Kats are a huge part of Japanese life, much bigger than most people overseas may realize. We hope this article explained how and why it has become this way as well as how to get the fun flavors when you spot them!
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