お菓子 (Okashi) - Snacks, sweets

 

1. Today's Japanese words

## Japanese Vocabulary for Snacks and Ice Cream (Romaji included):

**General:**

* お菓子 (Okashi) - Snacks, sweets

**Snacks:**

* ポテトチップス (poteto chippusu) - Potato chips

* チョコレート (chokorēto) - Chocolate

* キャンデー (kyandē) - Candy

* ガム (gamu) - Gum, chewing gum

* クッキー (kukkī) - Cookies

* プリン (purin) - Custard pudding

* ドーナツ (dōnatsu) - Donut

* タイヤケーキ (taiyākēki) - Taiyaki (fish-shaped cake)

* クレープ (kurēpu) - Crepe

* 抹茶 (matcha) - Green tea (used in flavor descriptions)

**Ice Cream:**

* アイスキャンデー (aisu kyandē) - Popsicle, ice lolly

* アイスクリーム (aisukurīmu) - Ice cream

* ソフトクリーム (sofuto kurīmu) - Soft serve ice cream

* もちアイス (mochi aisu) - Mochi ice cream

* 黒ゴマアイス (kurogoma aisu) - Black sesame ice cream

**Bonus:**

* 和菓子 (wagashi) - Traditional Japanese sweets

* おやつ (oyatsu) - Afternoon snack

2. Today's topic

## Japanese Snacks for Foreigners:

Japan has a wide variety of snacks that are both delicious and interesting for foreigners to try. Here are a few suggestions:

* **Savory Snacks:**

    * **Pocky (ポッキー):** Thin biscuit sticks dipped in creamy chocolate. A classic Japanese snack that comes in a variety of flavors like strawberry, milk, and matcha.

    * **Hi-Chew (ハイチュウ):** Chewy candies with a variety of fruit flavors. They have a softer texture than American gummies. 

    * **Karamucho (カラムーチョ):** Spicy potato sticks that come in different spice levels. Be warned, these can be quite hot!

    * **Onigiri (おにぎり):** Rice balls wrapped in seaweed (nori) and filled with various ingredients like salmon, tuna mayo, or pickled plum (umeboshi). A great option for a light meal or snack.

* **Sweet Snacks:**

    * **Kit Kat (キットカット):** You might be familiar with Kit Kat already, but Japan has many unique flavors that you won't find elsewhere, like matcha, sweet potato, and sakura (cherry blossom).

    * **Tokyo Banana (東京ばなな):** Sponge cakes filled with a creamy banana custard and wrapped in a banana-shaped package. A popular souvenir from Tokyo.

    * **Meltykiss (メルティーキッス):** Chocolate squares that melt in your mouth. They come in a variety of flavors, including milk chocolate, strawberry, and matcha.

    * **Taiyaki (たい焼き):** Fish-shaped cakes filled with sweet red bean paste (anko) or other flavors like custard or chocolate. 

## Japanese Ice Cream for Foreigners:

Japan is known for its delicious and innovative ice cream flavors. Here are a few suggestions for foreigners to try:

* **Soft Serve (ソフトクリーム):** A popular and ubiquitous summer treat in Japan. Soft serve ice cream is typically served in a cone and has a lighter and fluffier texture than regular ice cream.  

* **Mochi Ice Cream (もちアイス):** Ice cream balls wrapped in a chewy mochi (rice cake) dough. You can find mochi ice cream in a variety of flavors, like vanilla, strawberry, and green tea.

* **Black Sesame Ice Cream (黒ゴマアイス):** A unique flavor made with black sesame seeds. It has a nutty and slightly sweet taste.

* **Matcha Ice Cream (抹茶アイス):** Green tea flavored ice cream. Matcha is a popular flavor in Japan and can be found in many desserts.

3- Today’s news

Japanese ice cream melts hearts in Asia with record exports

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Japanese-ice-cream-melts-hearts-in-Asia-with-record-exports#:~:text=Frozen%20treats%20from%20Japan%20are,3%2C300%20tonnes%20in%20fiscal%202014.

Japan seeks more visitors despite overtourism problems

https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-seeks-more-visitors-despite-overtourism-woes