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Japan’s Top 10 Hidden Gourmet Foods Revealed: Kyoto’s Century-Old Shop Takes First Place

Published: 2026-09-26 👁 100 views
Last updated 2026-09-26 — A recent food safety scandal has swept across Taiwan, but Japanese sweets and delicacies remain an irresistible favorite among Taiwanese consumers. Online retailers have gathered snacks from all over Japan—including Okinawa, Hokkaido, Kyoto, and Tokyo—to launch the Japan Food Festival event...

By the MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Network Editorial Team

Despite the recent food safety scare that has affected the entire country, Japanese-style sweets continue to be a top favorite among Taiwanese consumers. Online retailers have collaborated to offer a Japan Food Festival, featuring nearly 70 types of Japanese treats. The selection includes “Japan-limited,” “century-old shops,” and “popular local specialties.” The event also invited 100 seasoned Japan experts to serve as the “food tasting squad” to evaluate the snacks. For the first time ever, the TOP 10 hidden gourmet favorites from these Japan insiders have been revealed.

Online retailers have launched a Japan Food Festival, where Japan-limited, century-old shop, and popular local specialty foods are all available online. (Image provided by Rakuten Ichiba)

From now until October 27th, shop at designated stores and spend over 1,500 JPY to receive 300 Super Points, with a maximum rebate of 900 points. (Image provided by Rakuten Ichiba)

According to a survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Taiwan ranks first in the world for acceptance of Japanese food culture, making it the most “Japan-loving” country. In addition to the increasing number of tourists visiting Japan each year, various types of Japanese restaurants have drawn long queues from eager locals, all demonstrating Taiwan’s deep appreciation for Japanese cuisine.

Online retailers have specially invited 100 Japan experts to handpick Japan’s Top 10 Foods. (Photo by MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Network, Liao Qiyu)

The TOP 10 hidden gourmet items on the list include products that have set records online in Japan—such as the “Vanilla Bean Chocolate Sandwich Cookies,”Kyoto’s century-old renowned Itoh Kyuemon’s “Matcha Cake Roll,”“Matcha Daifuku,”and “Matcha Sandwich Cookies”; sweets from Japan’s remote islands, including the “Miyako Island Mango Cake,”“Mango Cheese Cake,”and “Charcoal Beauty Mango Roll”; popular Japanese queue-famous store Ginza Senbikiya’s “Creamy Grape Sandwich Cookies” and “Ginza Fruit Jelly Gift Box”; as well as the “Matsuzawa Japanese Persimmon Mille-feuille Cake,” highly recommended by Japanese food shows and recognized by the 100 Japan experts as the most unique item. Also making the TOP 10 list is the only savory item, the “Maruya Fisheries Co., Ltd. Red Snow Crab Leg Canned Product,” made from fresh red snow crab legs from Hokkaido without freezing to lock in the flavor—ready to eat straight from the can.

The No. 1 winner of the 100 Japan experts’ taste test and the most authentic food—Kyoto’s century-old renowned Itoh Kyuemon’s “Uji Matcha Daifuku.” (Image provided by Rakuten Ichiba)

The No. 2 winner of the 100 Japan experts’ taste test and the most nostalgic food—the online record-breaking six-box-instant-seller “Vanilla Bean Chocolate Sandwich Cookies.” (Image provided by Rakuten Ichiba)

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