Ishiya Shiroi Koibito

Two years ago, some friends of mine moved to Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan) to teach English (kind of like Jen of Jen Ken's KitKat Blog fame). Last week, they came back to America for a visit, their first since leaving, and I got to try something I've always wanted to taste: Shiroi Koibito (White Lover). Basically, it's a white chocolate sandwich cookie.

Many a blog (and probably some real books and articles) has been written about the importance of regional foods and snacks in Japan, so I won't go on about it, but even as regional snacks go, Shiroi Koibito is extra famous. Hokkaido is known for dairy products and snow, so it certainly fits the image. The name translates a little weird, but I think that's why it's always in my mind.


For a Japanese snack, the box sure was loaded with French (as many Japanese baked good packages are). The type of cookies used in Shiroi Koibito are called Langue du Chat (cat's tongue), and they had a buttery scent.

The cookie part had a delicate and airy crunch, easily crumbling in my mouth. Despite being fairly thick, the white chocolate was quick to oblige this crumble, as it was soft, like a cream spread on the inner cookie surface. The whole sandwich was sweet, but not to the point of bothering me. The mild flavor (slightly reminiscent of cheese) and light crunch made me feel quite prim, proper, and in the mood for a cup of Earl Grey tea.

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Ishiya website