When you enter the hallowed halls of the Muji Flagship Store in Ginza, the endless rows of identically-packaged snacks can be a tad overwhelming. Although aesthetically pleasing, Muji’s signature minimalist packaging does little to characterize its contents. As a result, shoppers are left to fend for themselves when searching for the best snacks to take home. For the uninitiated, here is a guide to successfully navigate the towering snack shelves of Muji Japan. Read on for a list of our favorite snacks at Muji.
Muji Snack Seasonal Highlights
Autumnal Baumkuchen
One of Muji’s most famous snacks, these cheap-yet-delicious “irregular” baumkuchen pieces come in a huge variety of flavors and have a cult following. Traditional baumkuchen from Germany — the name translates to “tree cake” — are firm, mildly sweet ring-shaped cakes typically sold at Japanese department stores. Muji created a more convenient and affordable interpretation of this popular classic in 2017. This fall, you can try the pumpkin, baked apple, chestnut, sweet potato and purple Japanese sweet potato flavors.
Pumpkin Marshmallow
Like the baumkuchen, Muji’s marshmallows are released in various flavors. This one includes pumpkin powder, which adds a gentle earthy-sweet note to the fluffy treats.
Purple Sweet Potato Latte
This limited edition instant latte is worth picking up for its unusual lilac-purple color alone. The taste is creamy and mildly sweet. Perfect for a cozy afternoon at home, you can enjoy it warm or iced.
Chestnut Dorayaki with Mochi
Dorayaki, composed of a sweet red bean paste sandwiched between castella patties, is most often associated with the beloved Japanese character Doraemon. Muji’s seasonal version includes four mini-dorayaki in one pack, each containing chestnut pieces and mochi along with the bean paste.
Must-try Japanese Snacks and Candies at Muji
Karinto Peanuts
A traditional cookie-like snack, Karinto is a deep-fried treat made of naturally fermented wheat flour dough and various coatings. This Muji interpretation is the most typical. It’s covered in syrup and crushed peanuts. Muji offers the less-common but still popular Okinawa brown sugar version as well, which is also a must-try.
Bite-sized Dried Squid Sheets
Unlike many dried squid snacks from convenience stores that you have to pull apart with your teeth, this bite-sized squid is easy to eat. If you are a fan of beef jerky, you might enjoy this protein-rich snack made with domestically-sourced squid.
Ramune Mix with 4 Kinds of Fruit Juice
Ramune is an iconic Japanese soda drink with a name that derives from the Japanese pronunciation for “lemonade.” The powdery, fizzy candy version of ramune is also very popular. There are many ramune candies to try at Muji, but we recommend four colorfully-wrapped flavors in one bag that includes strawberry, orange, soda and lemon.
Egg Bolo
A retro cookie you can find all over Japan, these tiny biscuits are perfect in their simplicity: they are composed of potato starch, egg, sugar and milk. You will never tire of their initial crunch and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Light & Fluffy Rice Chips
A cross between a potato chip and a senbei (hard Japanese rice cracker), these airy discs made with domestically grown rice are a slightly healthier alternative to your average bag of chips. Check out the five-spice flavor and the yangnyeom chicken flavor.
Beniharuka Dried Sweet Potato
This is an especially sweet and sticky rendition of dried sweet potato, sourced from Ibaraki Prefecture — which is the top producer of dried sweet potatoes in the country. These Muji sweet potato slices are like the moist, earthy cousin of dried mango slices. They are convenient to munch on while studying.
The Best Cookies and Confectionary at Muji
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
These strawberry chocolates are true Muji classics. They are whole freeze-dried strawberries encased in a glossy chocolate coating, blending tartness and milky sweetness. Due to their immense popularity, a white chocolate version was released in 2007. A matcha version and a strawberry-flavored chocolate version are also available.
Caramel Popcorn
This sweet caramel popcorn mixes crunchier and fluffier popcorn kernels to create variation in texture. It’s a great snack option to have at home for a movie night.
Florentine Cookies
A bite-sized Muji interpretation of the French biscuit you can spot throughout Japan. These nutty cookies are a combination of dough, caramel and almonds.
Pistachio and Vanilla Cookies
These are cookies with a sophisticated flavor, despite their cheaper price. They feature a vanilla dough with chopped pistachios, baked into two crispy layers.
Yogurt Marshmallows
Among the marshmallow flavors Muji produces, this one is perhaps the most popular. These ball-shaped marshmallows are airy, powdery and squishy like your average western marshmallow, but contain a sweet and sour yogurt jelly center.
