Morinaga Super Sour Ume Hi-chew

As a kid, I could never get enough sour candy. I could eat it until the insides of my cheeks were raw! These days, I still love a sour sweet, but my self control is a bit better. As far as sour foods go, it doesn't get much more extreme than umeboshi. Umeboshi is one of those polarizing foods that people either seem to love or hate (like black licorice or natto). It's an extremely sour and salty pickled plum (though the fruit is apparently closer to an apricot) that's often served with rice. I like them, but I don't think I could just eat one by itself. This Hi-chu flavor actually just calls itself ume and not umeboshi, but sour plum is a natural fit for Japanese candy.

It's interesting to see Hi-chew coming out with lots of new flavors and textures, perhaps to compete with Puccho. This particular flavor has crunchy sugar crystals in the center. Actually, this isn't just regular Hi-chew, it's Suppai-chew, which is a cute play on words because suppai means sour in Japanese. Furthermore, these aren't just sour, they're 超/SUPER sour! Just look at the puckered face on the logo around the パ! With that lead in, I was expecting at least a Warheads level punch in the mouth.

Sadly, it was not so. The Hi-chu smelled and tasted like ume candy, which is to say it sort of tasted like sour cherry. It was sour, but I wouldn't say super sour. There was definitely a citric acid-like flavor, along with the fruity flavor of the plum. While I really did like the taste and found myself eating a lot of them in one sitting, the mild to moderate sourness was a bit of a letdown when I was expecting a kick.

The closest western analog to the texture of Hi-chew might be salt water taffy or Starburst, but Hi-chew are actually a bit chewier and don't tend to break down as easily. This flavor softened easier than normal Hi-chew because of the large sugar crystals in the center. The sugar crystals were extremely sweet and crunchy and actually made it a bit painful to chew. I don't think it would have bothered me as a kid, but it was a bit unpleasant on my adult teeth.

B-

Morinaga website

Skoshbox Continued

The items in this review were provided by a marketing representative.

One of the nice things about receiving the Skoshbox is that it's given me the chance to try Japanese snacks I've seen but never tried before. If I'm shopping at a store or online, I'll go for the KitKats and Tirol chocolates every time, so it's fun to try things that someone else has picked!

As discussed in my previous post, Skoshbox is a new subscription box for Japanese candy, snacks, and trinkets. I received a promotional box and have been covering the items within, but I'm not affiliated with Skoshbox and did not (nor will I) receive any compensation for the reviews or for anyone who subscribes. Skoshbox $12 a month including shipping, and if you do decide to sign up, you can use the code SNACKLUV04 by July 15th to receive a free mystery snack with your first box! Currently, Skoshbox only ships within the US.

Umaibo is the perfect example of something I've seen in stores many times but never got around to trying. It's a cylindrical puffed corn snack that comes in tons of different flavors, and the mascot looks awfully similar to a certain ear-less cat... The promotional box included Mentai and Cheese flavors. I tried the Mentai first because it sounded more interesting. Mentaiko is marinated fish roe, and the stick did smell just a tad fishy (in a good way).

I don't remember ever eating mentaiko, but the Umaibo certainly tasted like Japanese food. It had the flavors of soy sauce, fish, and onion, with a hint of pepper heat. The coating was quite salty, but still tasty. It was very similar to Cheetos in terms of crunch. I will probably let my husband have the cheese flavor, but I'm curious to see how closely it resembles American cheese puffs.

The Skoshbox also included 2 individually wrapped Morinaga Hi-Chew candies in grape and apple. Hi-Chew does a great job with authentic, juicy fruit flavors, and these were no exception. The product guide included in the box explains that Hi-Chew was designed to be an edible chewing gum, which explains the bouncy, almost rubbery texture and long-lasting chew. Hi-Chew is slowly becoming available in stores in the US, but it's still mostly confined to the East and West coasts.

One of the long-standing candy rivalries (at least in my head) is between M&Ms and Smarties. Preference seems to depend upon home country, and being partial to M&Ms, I'm no exception. Meiji Marble is a similar type of candy, but I'm not sure it's quite in the same league. The texture of the Marble pieces reminded me of Reese's Pieces - thin, crispy shell, and smooth, almost airy chocolate inside. The chocolate wasn't very rich or solid, but it did have a nice, mild cocoa flavor. I loved that a couple pieces had character faces, and it was fun to see a different variety of colors from other similar candies.

Lotte Koala's March is a classic Japanese snack that was available in the US as Koala Yummies when I was a kid in the 1980s. It's a simple chocolate cream filled cookie, and it tastes the same as ever (which is to say it's pretty yummy). The filling is sweet, but the crunchy cookie shell isn't, so it's got a good balance. The only issue I have with Koala's March is that it contains some trans fat, so I keep my consumption to infrequent, small servings like this.

Since I'm probably not going back to Japan in the near future, I'm very tempted to subscribe to Skoshbox for July. I'll finish up the rest of the snacks within the next couple days and keep you posted on my decision! Is anyone else thinking about signing up?

Skoshbox

The items in this review were provided by a marketing representative.

The most common question I get about this blog is, "Where do you buy Japanese snacks?" In the United States, unless you live in very specific areas, Japanese import shops are few and far between. When I was contacted by a marketing representative for Skoshbox, a new subscription box just for Japanese snacks and goodies, I agreed that it was a perfect fit for Snack Love readers.

Skoshbox was created by two childhood friends who have lived in both Japan and the United States. The creators hand-pick each item, ranging from Japanese candies to traditional snacks to stationery. Skoshbox kindly offered to send me their June box, and I'll be reviewing the snacks over the coming days.

Please note that while I did receive the promotional box, I did not receive any compensation for writing about Skoshbox here, nor will I receive any compensation should you choose to subscribe. I'm writing just because I honestly think it's a fun service!

The service is $12 a month (including shipping), and a 6 month gift subscription option is available. If you think you might be interested, check out Skoshbox.com for ordering information. In addition, Skoshbox has kindly created a promotional code for Snack Love readers! Use the code SNACKLUV04 at check out to receive a free mystery snack with your first box. This code expires on July 15th, which is also the last day to sign up for the first box. At this time, Skoshbox only ships within the United States.

Here's a rundown of the items in the June box: Choco Ball, Orange Bubble Gum, Kaki no Tane, Marble Chocolate, Koala's March, Milk Hard Candy, Hi-Chew, Look Chocolate, Shoyu Senbei, and an Air In Eraser.

This is a pretty classic assortment of Japanese snacks and candies, which would be especially great for someone new to the world of Japanese goodies, or someone feeling nostalgic for old favorites. The snacks covered the spectrum from savory (Kaki no Tane and Senbei) to sweet, chewy to crunchy to hard candy, and the eraser was a nice touch! A postcard listing everything in the box was included, and I loved that there was a little fun fact about each item.

To start with something savory, I tried the Kaki no Tane. It's a mix of peanuts and tiny rice crackers shaped like persimmon (kaki) seeds. I never paid much attention to Kaki no Tane, although I did think that they were actual persimmon seeds (so now I feel a little silly). But clearly, I was wrong to ignore this snack. The rice crackers were mildly spicy with a light soy sauce flavor, and they had a nice crispy texture. The peanuts were simply lightly salted nuts. The mix of the two components was great, and they were so addictive!

Choco Ball is a simple snack: chocolate covered nuts. Although the card enclosed in the box said that these had an almond in the center, it was actually a peanut. The peanut was toasted, crunchy, and much lighter than the peanuts I'm used to, but I liked the texture! The bite-sized balls were just slightly sweet and highly addictive. Unfortunately, shipping chocolate in the summer months is always a bit of a gamble, and though the Choco Balls were still tasty, they were a little worse for the wear.

As for the Air-In eraser, I thought it was a fun extra. Japanese stationery has a well-deserved cult following in the USA. One swipe of this soft, gummy eraser and you'll see why. I can't even count all the Japanese pens, pencils, and erasers I've amassed over the years, and I'm still hungry for more.

While I was a little disappointed that the Choco Ball had melted, I was still quite pleased with the variety of items in the box - many of which were much more heat-stable! Stay tuned for more items from the Skoshbox!

Morinaga Cola Hi-chew and Canned Pineapple Hi-chew Jr.

In the past, the flavors of Hi-chew Jr. that I've tried have had tiny, tooth-shatteringly hard sprinkles in them that make them too treacherous for me to enjoy. Thankfully, these two flavors of Hi-chew, provided by Tsunami.hk, were sprinkle free!

The yellow package of Hi-chew Jr. is Canned Pineapple flavored, and the small (but not Jr.) black package is Cola flavored. Both of these flavors are on the rare side in the United States, but both are flavors I enjoy.


The candy had a strong pineapple aroma, and as you can see, it was solid yellow instead of white on the outside like normal Hi-chew. It tasted like pineapple, but it was very sweet, which made it more like the canned variety. There were also hints of cherry and tropical flavors, making it quite authentic. A-


Cola had a good cola scent and flavor, but it seemed extra sticky. It may have been my imagination, but there was a slight fizz to this Hi-chew. The caramelly cola flavor was decent, but I've had better cola candy. More fizz would have made this one a winner for me. B

Morinaga website

Morinaga Straberry Daifuku Hi-chew

I don't often blog about traditional Japanese snacks (known as wagashi) for a couple of reasons. First, I live in the United States and they are a bit hard to come by, and second, there's already an excellent blog for that!

Instead, I have to settle for reviewing cheaper candy based on wagashi, like these strawberry daifuku Hi-chew! The real thing is a strawberry covered in red bean past and wrapped in mochi. Here's a recipe for real strawberry daifuku, in case you can't track down the Hi-chew. The real thing is most definitely better.


There was no detectable mochi smell to these candies, just a strawberry aroma. Mochi was just barely present in the flavor, though the strawberry dominated. It was a tart, authentic strawberry, and it was quite good. As with all Hi-chew, the candies had a chewy, almost rubbery texture.

Red bean paste was completely absent from the flavor profile, but despite the failure at tasting like daifuku, it still made for a tasty strawberry candy. It's been a long time since I've had regular strawberry Hi-chew, so I can't say how it compares - I doubt there is much of a difference.

Check out another review at Tasty Japan.

B+

Morinaga website

Morinaga Matcha Yatsuhashi Hi-chew

Today, I received a package from a good friend of mine in Japan. We met in 2005 when she came to my university as an exchange student, and we've kept in touch ever since then. We exchange packages a couple times a year, and if we're really lucky, especially if me going to Japan or her coming to the US isn't in the cards at the time.

Anyhow, she lives in Kyoto and therefore has access to many special edition matcha snacks. This particular Hi-chew flavor is very Kyoto. Yatsuhashi is Kyoto's traditional regional sweet. It's made with rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon and can be raw or baked. The baked kind is good (it reminds me of Cinnamon Toast Crunch), but I especially love the raw variety, as it's soft and doughy like mochi. Kyoto and the nearby city of Uji are also known for matcha, and matcha is one of many possible flavors for yatsuhashi.


They smelled like cinnamon, and had a firmer texture than typical Hi-chew. The matcha flavor was clean, tasty, and quite authentic, though a bit mild. Unfortunately, the cinnamon flavor reminded me of a cinnamon gum instead of the actual spice.

The mochi-like element was great, with a mild rice flavor and good texture. I felt like it was a great approximation of the real thing, and was pleasantly surprised. The only issue was the cinnamon flavor, which felt more like red hots (though not as strong, of course). I'd rather have actual yatsuhashi, but these Hi-chew were very fun.

B+

Morinaga website

Morinaga Watagashi Hi-chew

This candy was sent to me by the lovely Kelly of Tasty Japan! I participated in and won a contest that she held in October, winning this pack of Hi-chew. It got a little bumped around during its long journey from Australia to the US, but arrived in good shape.

This summer, Morinaga put out a line of seasonal Hi-chew flavors, showcasing treats commonly sold in Japanese festivals. This flavor is called watagashi in Japanese, which is pretty much the same thing as cotton candy or candy floss. Here is a review (by Kelly) of another festival flavor Hi-chew, toffee apple.


Cotton candy flavored treats in the US often have a very distinctive sugary and slightly fruity taste. I was a bit surprised when the Hi-chew didn't smell or taste at all like that. Instead, the flavor was more like mild butterscotch with a just a hint of molasses. It was surprisingly rich and caramel-like!

The small sugar crystals inside the chew were crunchy and gave the feeling of spun sugar. The texture of the chew itself seemed a bit softer than normal Hi-chew. It's been a long time since I've had cotton candy, so I'm not sure if it's made differently in Japan or if this candy is just a better approximation of the flavor than I normally experience.

CandyBlog and Pocky Watch also reviewed (and enjoyed) this flavor.

Thank you again, Kelly!

A-

Morinaga website

Morinaga White Peach Hi-Chew

Somewhat recently, Hi-Chew released a series of "World Fruits" flavors, which included this White Peach flavor. The area around Mt. Fuji in Japan is known for white peaches (among other things), explaining the image of Mt. Fuji on the package.

White peaches, according to a little online research, are popular in Asia and less acidic than yellow peaches, which tend to be more popular in the United States. Both types are available where I live, but I haven't had as much exposure to the white variety.

I also noted that on the English Morinaga website, there is a link to a "Massage from the President." Oops.


I was a little surprised at the scent of these, because the candies definitely smelled peachy, but they also reminded me of butter. The flavor was sweet and a little acidic (and a little buttery), and much like a white peach. It was quite juicy, and the tartness intensified with every chew.

These were good, but not one of my favorite Hi-Chew flavors. The flavor was fairly authentic, and certainly different from the taste of a yellow peach. My husband thought much more of them than I did, but for me, there was something just a little off that prevented me from scoring these higher. Maybe it's just peach candy in general.

B

Morinaga Hi-Chew website

Morinaga Ume Hi-chew

This candy called to me; the packaging was so cute that I had to buy it. It's a Japanese explosion with the cherry blossoms, daruma, ume (Japanese plum) flavor, and the fact that it's marketed have the effect of helping students pass their exams.

The package also advertises "sour powder" inside the chew, which makes sense, as ume (especially umeboshi, or pickled plums) are incredibly sour. Umeboshi tend to bring out strong feelings in people, in that they either hate them or love them. The high citric acid content not only results in a sour taste, but some possible health benefits.


As for the candy, it smelled really sour and a little salty, like umeboshi. The outside was a bit sweet and a little plummy, but as I chewed, it got very sour, salty, and juicy. It was so sour that I really was reminded of the real thing, down to the hint of bitterness. It made my eyes water just a little bit.

The innards seemed slightly softer than a regular Hi-chew, and you can see in the picture that the inside is a bit spongy. The sour punch was really surprising, and I think this would be great for plum fans. It wasn't as intense as umeboshi can be, but it's candy, so that's just fine with me.

A-

Morinaga Website (Japanese)

Morinaga Golden Kiwi Hi-chew

Numerous sources have told me that golden kiwis are better than the regular variety, and that this Hi-chew tastes very authentic. However, I have never had golden kiwi, so I have no point of comparison.

I bought these at a Japanese grocery store, and they came highly recommended. I was really impressed with the pineapple flavor, so my hopes were high. Maybe they were too high?


I love that the bars are wrapped in gold foil. It makes them look like little bars of solid gold and reminds me of Fort Knox, as seen in cartoons. They smell strongly fruity. The taste reminded me of strawberry kiwi Starburst, because it didn't taste specifically kiwi. Kiwi was there, but there was something else. That must be the golden kiwi.

The pineapple Hi-chew screamed pineapple; it was dead on. Kiwi is a little harder to pinpoint, but there was just something missing from these. Having said that, they were delicious and I had no trouble eating half the package myself in one night.

B+

Morinaga Website (Japanese)

Morinaga Strawberry Yogurt Hi-Chew

NOTE: Kelly has informed me that Morinaga has issued a recall on some flavors of Hi-chew, as they may contain pieces of rubber gloves. Here's an English article about it, which contains a link to a Japanese article. The flavors being recalled are grape and green apple with expiration dates in June 2009. Thanks to Kelly, and please take care, everyone.


I am a big fan of Hi-chew. The texture is great, and to date, there has only been one flavor (out of at least 10) that I have tried and not liked. That flavor was watermelon, by the way, and it tasted like cucumber. I like cucumber, but not in chewy candy form. Anyhow, I found some of my notes on this flavor and thought I should post the review.

The packaging is cute and fun, as usual, and caught my eye. I didn't buy this, though, a friend of mine did and she gave me a few so I could review them. This is how I get a lot of my candy.



Strawberry yogurt (the real thing) is delicious, and even though these weren't quite as delicious, they were pretty good. The strawberry flavor was nice and tart and pretty authentic. The yogurty sourness was also good, but I think I'd rather have plain strawberry Hi-Chew, if given the choice.

B+

Morinaga Website (Japanese)

Hi-Chew Golden Pineapple

The first time I had Hi-Chew, the texture really surprised me. I think I was expecting something less...elastic? Anyhow, once you know what to expect, these are typically fantastic candies with great flavors. The one flavor I tried and didn't like was Watermelon, because it tasted like cucumber. But that's another story.

The packaging here is quite eye-catching and very psychedelic. I'm not sure why they went with such a groovy theme, as pineapple doesn't really make me think of disco and roller skates, but it's attractive nonetheless.

Morinaga is generally spot on with fruit flavors, and they nailed pineapple. These were incredibly juicy and sweet without being overly so, and thanks to the unique texture of Hi-Chew, they don't get stuck in your teeth. Did I mention the candy also smells great? Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits, so it was nice to have it so well done here.

A+

Morinaga Website (Japanese)