Many who come here on holiday adjust to eating rice or noodles for breakfast, but cereal in Japan can be a surprisingly unique experience too!
They may be hard to come by, especially if you only look in convenience stores, but cereal in Japan definitely exists.
Head to any decent-sized supermarket in Japan and you’ll surely find an aisle with cereals and oats, even if it is a very small aisle!
Interesting Packaging
The first thing you’ll notice about cereal in Japan is that they don’t come in the usual cereal box form as we observe in the West.
Instead, they are packaged in these resealable bags which makes it easier to preserve the freshness of the cereal.
Indeed, packets of cereal in Japan are typically smaller than the big boxes of cereal in the West, though they’re still reasonably affordable.
While you can still find some of your favorite cereal classics such as Kellogg’s Cornflakes and Coco Pops, there are also plenty of Japanese-branded cereals such as Calbee and Nissin.
Super Nutritious
I decided to try something new and go for one of these Japanese cereal brands.
I opted for Nissin, a brand that is well-known for its instant noodle varieties but not so much for its cereal products.
This particular Nissin cereal was a chocolate-flavored granola variety with almonds and cashews.
Nutty cereal is no stranger in the West, however, I was surprised at the brand’s use of whole almonds and cashews in the mix (as opposed to crushed nuts).
Reading the packaging, it was clear that this cereal was high in nutrition and vitamins, and I could feel it in every bite!
I would liken the experience to a bowl of oat clusters that you’d typically get in Australia, but far crunchier and “nuttier” which I absolutely appreciated.
Delicious Milk Varieties
The “cherry on top” when it comes to cereal in Japan is the vast spectrum of milk brands and varieties you have access to.
This particular brand of milk called Ohayo (meaning “good morning”) is by far my favorite, offering a creamy texture and a pleasant aftertaste reminiscent of vanilla.
In addition to this, there are plenty of other brands such as Meiji or even the standard 7-Eleven branded milk that offers an aftertaste that is more pleasant than milk I’ve had in the West.
Of course, this is a matter of preference, but I certainly appreciate a creamier, almost “vanilla taste” to my milk without so much of that strong aftertaste that does a number on my breath!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!