A most intriguing delicacy, Japan’s “Peanut Monaka” is not at all what it seems. An acquired taste perhaps, here are my thoughts…
I was at Narita Airport coming back to Kyoto after my run at EVO Japan 2025, where I competed for the Tekken 8 championship title (and lost miserably). A snack/souvenir store beckoned me, featuring the usual Japanese goods like onigiri and green tea, but something very peculiar caught my eye – the Peanut Monaka!
First Impressions
Foolishly overlooking the English translated labels, I thought I was looking at a chocolate-filled peanut of sorts, and boy was I excited!
Four large chocolate-filled peanuts for 1,450 yen (10 USD), I thought it was a little pricey, but too shabby for an airport souvenir shop.
I didn’t hesitate to purchase a box for my flight back to Kyoto. Expecting a big sugar spike that typically comes with a Nutella-like filling, I was met with quite the opposite…
Sweet Bean Filling
Of course, a Japanese favorite was never going to be a rich chocolate flavor, because while that may be popular in the West, it just doesn’t fly in the East.
No, what this was was a “Peanut Monaka,” that is, a wafer sandwich with a sweet bean paste as the filling.
It may be called “sweet bean paste,” but compared to chocolate, its sweetness levels pale in comparison.
Nevertheless, it had a light sugary taste and somewhat of a nutty “beany” flavor to it, similar to azuki red bean but with a hint of peanut too.
A Lovely Souvenir
It may not have been what I was expecting, but I was still intrigued by the concept of Peanut Monaka. From the cute packaging to the cute peanut-shaped waffle to the cute everything! It was definitely more of a novelty experience than a mouth-watering snack, but I will say it went quite well with my green tea drink!
Available at Narita Airport Terminal 3!
So the next time you’re catching a domestic flight from Narita Airport Terminal 3, be sure to check out the Peanut Monaka tower at the snack store.
If you get a larger box than the one I got, you can also get one of those peanut-shaped containers, which is pretty cool too.
That being said, Narita Airport is not the only place you can get Peanut Monaka, so just keep an eye out for them at any souvenir store in Japan and you’ll probably find them!
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