Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2009

Courtesy of Nestle

Ah, omiyage. One of the best-loved Japanese customs, where travelers bring back tasty treats for family, landladies, coworkers and the like—treats they usually bought in a panicked rush just before boarding their shinkansen home. Now Nestle has solved these weary wanderers’ problems (while at the same time finding a use for its array of mind-bogglingly odd Kit-Kat flavors). The new “Omiyage Series” includes representative flavors from 30 areas of Japan, tucked inside a package that doubles as a postcard. Try strawberry cheesecake from Yokohama, Tokai aka miso (above) Tokyo shoyu or—our personal favorite—cayenne pepper flavor from Nagano.
Available in small (¥367) and large (¥840) sizes wherever souvenirs are sold