Japan has a plethora of potato chip brands you won’t find elsewhere, some of which offer unique tastes and flavors that just hit different!
5. O’ZACK Savory Barbecue Flavor
O’Zack is a Japanese brand of potato chips that feature a unique style of production that results in a texture that resembles a rice cracker! In spite of this, it is made with potato and does not contain rice, offering a light and crispy taste with a savory seasoning that is simply delightful.
4. Calbee “Spring Potato” Sour Cream Chips
It’s not a Japanese potato chip list without Calbee, the number one brand of potato chips in Japan! Taking the 4th spot on my list is their sour cream crinkle cut chips which deliver a potent taste using real sour cream concentrate, marketed as a special item for Japan’s spring season.
3. Calbee Lightly Salted Hard-Fried Potato Chips
Another spot taken by the best in the business, these simple but exquisite chips by Calbee don’t need a whole lot of seasoning to stand out. A pinch of salt is enough to flavor up these high-quality potatoes which are hard-fried to bring out a bigger crunch and deliver a richer potato taste!
2. Calbee Kansai Dashi Soy Sauce
I had to throw in one last Calbee item on this list, because these Kansai dashi soy sauce-flavored chips simply cannot be ignored! Of all the items on this list, these definitely have the most “Japanese taste,” for lack of better words, offering a savory taste with a slight fishy or seaweedy flavor (reminiscent of okonomiyaki if you ask me!).
1. KOIKE-YA Butter Soy Sauce Flavored Potato Sticks
A rather rare brand of chips in Japan is KOIKE-YA, albeit being one of the higher quality ones and even earning a top spot on my list here. For me, nothing beats potato chips that are in stick form. Something about it just feels right!
Anyhow, these potato sticks are like mini McDonald’s French fries, coming in with plenty of crunch and made with 100% potato. The best part is the butter soy sauce flavor which is extremely tasty with a savory and slightly sweet taste that has an addictive “give me more” effect until the entire packet is empty!
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!
