What are the best Japanese Chocolate Brands?

Japan is known for its delicious cuisine, and its chocolate is no exception. With a rich history and a focus on quality ingredients, Japanese chocolate brands have become some of the most sought-after in the world. In this article, we will be exploring the top 15 most famous Japanese chocolate brands.

• 1. Meiji
• 2. Morinaga
• 3. Glico
• 4. Lotte
• 5. Ishiya
• 6. Fujiya
• 7. Kracie
• 8. Kabaya
• 9. Morozoff
• 10. Bourbon
• 11. Yuraku Seika
• 12. Tirol
• 13. Royce
• 14. Furuta
• 15. Japanese KitKats from Nestlé

1. Meiji

Meiji is one of the most well-known chocolate brands in Japan, and for good reason. Founded in 1916, Meiji has been making delicious chocolate for over a century. Their chocolate is known for its smooth texture and rich flavor. Some of their most popular products include their milk chocolate and chocolate-covered strawberries. Here are some of their recommended products:

• Meiji Milk Chocolate - This is a classic milk chocolate bar that is a staple in Japan and is known for its smooth, creamy texture and rich chocolate flavor.
• Meiji Apollo Strawberry Chocolate - This is a popular chocolate bar that features a strawberry-flavored filling surrounded by rich milk chocolate.
• Meiji Goko no Kaori Chocolate - This is a premium chocolate bar that is made with high-quality cocoa beans and has a distinct, rich chocolate taste. It is known for its smooth texture and complex flavor profile.

2. Morinaga

Morinaga is a Japanese confectionery company that is known for its wide range of chocolate products. They are particularly famous for their "Hi-Chew" brand of chewy candy and "Milky" chocolate bar. The Hi-Chew candy is a soft, chewy candy that comes in a variety of flavors and is very popular in Japan and other countries. The Milky chocolate bar is a milk chocolate bar that is known for its smooth and creamy texture. They also produce a variety of other chocolate-based products such as chocolate-covered snacks, chocolate-covered biscuits, chocolate truffles, and chocolate-covered wafers. They have a wide range of product lines and have expanded to other countries such as the US, China, and Hong Kong.

• Morinaga Bitter Chocolate - This is a high-quality dark chocolate that is known for its intense, bitter flavor and smooth texture. It is made with cocoa beans sourced from around the world.
• Morinaga Milk Chocolate - This is a classic milk chocolate bar that is known for its creamy texture and rich, sweet flavor. It is a popular choice among chocolate lovers.
• Morinaga Hi-Chew - This is a popular chewy candy that comes in a variety of flavors, including chocolate. The chocolate flavor is a favorite among many and it is known for its smooth texture and rich chocolate taste.

3. Glico

Glico is a household name in Japan, and their chocolate is equally as famous. Founded in 1922, they produce a wide range of chocolate products, including chocolate-covered pretzels and chocolate bars. They are also known for their unique flavors, such as green tea and matcha chocolate. Their most well-known product is without a doubt Pocky, and we've got plenty to say about those! They even have a Pocky Game! And here are some of their most popular treats:

• Glico Pocky Chocolate - This is a popular chocolate-covered biscuit stick snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It is a classic Japanese snack and is enjoyed by people of all ages.
• Glico Chocolate Pretz - This is a chocolate-covered pretzel snack that is known for its combination of sweet chocolate and salty pretzel flavors. It's a popular choice among those looking for a sweet and savory snack.
• Glico Caplico - This is a chocolate-covered wafer cone that is filled with a creamy, sweet filling. It comes in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, and is known for its light, crispy texture and rich chocolate taste.

4. Lotte

Lotte is a well-known confectionery company in Japan, and their chocolate is no exception. They are a South Korean conglomerate that operates in various industries, including confectionery and a long history in Japan. Lotte's chocolate products are particularly popular in Japan and are known for their high-quality ingredients and unique flavors. Some of their most popular chocolate products include their "Ghana" brand of chocolate bars, which come in a variety of flavors such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate, and the "Choco Pie" which is a chocolate-covered marshmallow snack cake. They also have a wide range of chocolate-covered snacks, chocolate-covered biscuits, chocolate truffles, and chocolate-covered wafers. Lotte is a well-known and respected brand in Japan and is known for its commitment to using high-quality ingredients in its products and its unique and creative packaging. Recommended products:

• Lotte Ghana Chocolate - It is a popular choice among chocolate lovers and is made with high-quality cocoa beans.
• Lotte Pepero - This is a popular chocolate-covered biscuit stick snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It is similar to Pocky and is enjoyed by people of all ages.
• Lotte Choco Pie - This is a popular chocolate-covered marshmallow cookie that is known for its soft, fluffy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It's a popular snack among kids and adults alike.

5. Ishiya

Ishiya is a Japanese confectionery company that is known for its chocolate products. They are particularly famous for their "Shiroi Koibito" (White Lover) brand of cookies. These cookies consist of two delicate butter cookies with a layer of white chocolate in between. They are considered as one of the most popular souvenirs from Hokkaido, Japan. Ishiya also produces a variety of chocolate-covered snacks, chocolate bars, and chocolate truffles. They also have a wide range of flavors and limited edition flavor of their products. Being from Hokkaido, they naturally have a reputation for using quality dairy in their products!

• Ishiya Shiroi Koibito - This is a popular white chocolate sandwich cookie that is known for its smooth and creamy white chocolate filling between two crispy butter cookies.
• Ishiya Milk Chocolate 
• Ishiya Milk Chocolate with Strawberry - This is a chocolate bar that features a strawberry-flavored filling surrounded by rich milk chocolate. It's a popular choice among those looking for a chocolate with a fruity twist.

6. Fujiya

Fujiya is a Japanese chocolate brand that has been around for over a century. They are known for their creamy milk chocolate and their chocolate-covered biscuits. They also produce a wide range of chocolate bars and other treats.

• Fujiya Milky 
• Fujiya Peko Chocolate - This is a chocolate-covered biscuit stick snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. Peko is a fictional character created by Fujiya and it's a popular snack among kids and adults alike.
• Fujiya Milky & Milky 

7. Kracie

Kracie is a Japanese chocolate brand that is known for its unique flavors and DIY candy. They produce a wide range of chocolate products, including chocolate bars and chocolate-covered pretzels. Some of their most popular products include their green tea chocolate and matcha chocolate.

• Kracie Popin' Cookin' Chocolate - This is a DIY candy kit that allows you to make your own chocolates in various shapes and flavors. It's a fun and unique product that is enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
• Kracie Happy Kitchen Chocolate - This is a similar product to the Popin' Cookin' one, but it is focused on making chocolate cand and other chocolate related desserts.
• Kracie Choco Corn Pot - This is a chocolate-covered corn puff snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It's a popular choice among those looking for a sweet and crunchy snack.

8. Kabaya

Kabaya are famous for their "Kabaya Chocolate" line, which features a variety of flavors such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. They also offer other chocolate-based products such as chocolate-covered snacks and chocolate-covered biscuits. Kabaya is a well-known brand in Japan and is known for its high-quality ingredients and unique flavors. Kabaya Chocolate is also known for its affordable price and it's widely available in convenience store and supermarkets in Japan. They also have other products such as gummies, hard candy and snacks. Products you may want to check out are:

• Kabaya Chocolate Coronet - This is a chocolate-covered biscuit stick snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It's a popular choice among those looking for a sweet and crunchy snack.
• Kabaya Chocolate Kinoko no Yama - This is a chocolate covered biscuit snack shaped like a mushroom, it has a chocolate cream filling and a chocolate coating. It is known for its unique shape and rich chocolate flavor.
• Kabaya Chocolate Puccho - This is a chewy candy that comes in a variety of flavors, including chocolate. The chocolate flavor is a favorite among many and it is known for its smooth texture and rich chocolate taste. It's a popular snack among kids and adults alike.

9. Morozoff

Morozoff is a Japanese chocolate brand that has been around since 1933. They are known for their creamy milk chocolate and their chocolate-covered biscuits. They also produce a wide range of chocolate bars and other treats. Here's what they offer:

• Morozoff Dark Chocolate - This is a high-quality dark chocolate that is known for its intense, bitter flavor and smooth texture. It is made with cocoa beans sourced from around the world and it's a perfect chocolate to be paired with a cup of coffee or tea.
• Morozoff Milk Chocolate - This is a classic milk chocolate bar that is known for its creamy texture and rich, sweet flavor. It is a popular choice among chocolate lovers and it's a perfect chocolate for those looking for something sweet and comforting.
• Morozoff Chocolate Covered Strawberries - This is a popular chocolate-covered fruit snack that is known for its combination of sweet chocolate and fresh strawberry flavors. The strawberries are carefully selected and coated with high-quality chocolate, making it a perfect gift or treat for special occasions.

10. Bourbon

Bourbon is a Japanese chocolate confectionnery that exists since 1918. They are known for their creamy milk chocolate and their chocolate-covered biscuits. They also produce a wide range of chocolate bars and other treats.

• Bourbon Petit Chocolate - This is a small bite-size chocolate that comes in a variety of flavors and is known for its rich and smooth texture. It's a perfect chocolate for snacking and it's a popular choice among chocolate lovers.
• Bourbon Alfort - This is a chocolate-covered biscuit snack that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate flavor. It is a classic and timeless snack, perfect for any time of the day.
• Bourbon Chocolate Wafers - This is a wafer sandwich chocolate that is known for its crispy texture and rich chocolate cream filling.

11. Yuraku Seika

The best-known product from this company is the Black Thunder candy bar. The Japanese thunder god Raijin inspired the bar's name, Black Thunder. It consists of a layer of chewy biscuit that has been covered with dark chocolate. This candy bar is more likely to be found in stores in Japan than a Snickers or Twix.

• Yuraku Seika Chocolate Biscuit
• Blackthunder
• Yuraku Seika Choco Boy
• Yuraku Seika Chocolate Crepe

12. Tirol

In Japanese convenience stores, you may frequently see Tirol, which offers little chocolate squares in individual packages, close to the cash registers. When you don't want to buy a whole bag, these tiny chocolate squares are ideal for a quick, sweet snack. They are available in a variety of seasonal tastes that are continuously changing, such as sakura mochi (which has mochi inside the chocolate) and amazake, a sweet Japanese fermented rice beverage, among many others.

13. Royce

Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, is where Royce first appeared. The Hokkaido prefecture is well known for its premium dairy goods. The Nama (fresh) chocolates are one of the brand's most well-known products because of the ingredients' freshness. These chocolates have a velvety, ganache-like texture and are produced with fresh cream that is locally sourced. Additionally offered in 14 nations are their chocolate-dipped salty potato chips and green tea chocolates.

• Royce' Nama Chocolate - This is a luxury chocolate that is known for its rich and smooth texture. It is made with high-quality ingredients and comes in a variety of flavors such as milk, dark and white chocolate. It's a perfect chocolate for special occasions and gifts.
• Royce' Potatochip Chocolate - This is a chocolate-covered potato chip snack that is known for its combination of sweet chocolate and salty potato chip flavors. It's a popular choice among those looking for a unique and satisfying snack.
• Royce' Chocolate Truffles - This is a chocolate truffle that is known for its rich and smooth chocolate flavor. It's a luxury chocolate that is perfect for special occasions and gifts. It comes in a variety of flavors such as milk, dark, and white chocolate.

14. Furuta

Furuta is a Japanese confectionery company that was established in 1948. They are known for their wide range of chocolate products, including chocolate-covered peanuts, chocolate-covered almonds, and chocolate-covered raisins. They also produce a variety of other confectionery products such as hard candy, gummies, and wafers. Furuta is a well-established and respected brand in Japan and is known for their high-quality ingredients and unique flavors.

• Furuta Choco Egg - This is a chocolate-covered egg-shaped confectionery that is known for its creamy and smooth texture. It comes in a variety of flavors such as milk, dark and white chocolate. It's a perfect chocolate for snacking and it's a popular choice among chocolate lovers.
• Furuta Choco Ball - This is a chocolate-covered round-shaped confectionery that is known for its creamy and smooth texture. It comes in a variety of flavors such as milk, dark and white chocolate. It's a perfect chocolate for snacking and it's a popular choice among chocolate lovers.
• Furuta Chocolate Covered Pretzels - This is a chocolate-covered pretzel snack that is known for its combination of sweet chocolate and salty pretzel flavors.

15. Japanese KitKats from Nestlé

KitKat is a well-known brand of chocolate-covered wafer biscuit that is produced by Nestle. In Japan, KitKat has become very popular and has a wide range of unique and interesting flavors that are not available in other countries. These flavors include matcha green tea, sweet potato, and wasabi. KitKat is considered as a popular souvenir by tourists visiting Japan.

In Japan, KitKat is marketed as a "luxury" product and is often sold in gift boxes. KitKat is also well known for its limited edition flavors, which are only available for a short period of time. These limited edition flavors are usually released to coincide with a seasonal event or holiday and are sought after by collectors.

KitKat is also used in Japan as a gift for good luck and students give it to teachers or friends before taking exams, as the name "KitKat" sounds like "kitto katsu" which means "surely win" in Japanese.

KitKat is very popular in Japan and has become a cultural phenomenon. The brand has also teamed up with various companies to create limited edition products such as KitKat-themed phone cases, and KitKat-themed clothing.

In conclusion, Japan offers a wide variety of delicious chocolate brands, each with its own unique characteristics and flavors. Whether you prefer creamy milk chocolate or dark chocolate, there's a brand for everyone. Next time you're looking for a delicious chocolate treat, be sure to check out one of these top 15 famous Japanese chocolate brands.

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