by Frances Harper
In the spirit of Valentine�fs Day, I decided to share my thoughts with you on, what else�cCHOCOLATE! More specifically, I thought I would offer a bit more information on the interesting Kit Kat craze that seems to be present in Japan. I�fm sure you�fre all familiar with Kit Kat candy bars from your home country, and you have probably already noticed some of the interesting flavors available in Japan. With a little bit of research, I realized there�fs a bit more to this candy that what I found on the shelf at the local 7-11.
According to BBC news, the sale of Kit Kats in Japan recently soared. The name �gKit Kat�h is similar to the Japanese expression "kitto katsu." Students use this phrase to wish each other good luck before exams. Apparently, some parents are also playing on the word similarities and buying their children Kit Kat bars as good luck �gcharms�h before exams.
I haven�ft actually seen too much of this going on at my schools, but I found the idea as interesting as the actual Japanese Kit Kat bars themselves. I first became aware of the availability of nontraditional-flavored Kit Kats two years ago when a friend brought me a pineapple flavored one from Japan. Unfortunately, the most creative Kit Kats to be found in America are White Chocolate and Triple Chocolate. So, I thought I�fd take advantage of the crazy Kit Kats while in Japan. So far I have found Strawberry, Lemon Cheesecake, (Uji) Maccha, (Yubari) Melon, and Passion Fruit. You can still find the last three in stores right now, but the flavors are seasonal. So, keep an eye out at your local convenience store. The Maccha Kit Kat was probably the most unusual, and it�fll only be around for the winter season. So, grab it while you can. The passion fruit is the most recent flavor, and from the heart-themed wrapping, it seems to be a Valentine�fs Day special.
Another great thing about the Japanese version of Kit Kat: they make cute (and cheap) gifts to take/send to people back home!