I'm looking for a gift for my Japanese business partner. He and his wife live in the States, so I was hoping to get something that is traditional and Japanese. Any recommendation for finger food or tea cookies that are popular in Japan would be greatly appreciated.
Royce chocolates make fantastic gifts (although they're not tea cookies).
Royce chocolates are so popular in Japan, and they top many tourists’ shopping lists who visit Japan. I was one of those who purchased a few boxes of Royce chocolates at the airport, and man, they are awesome.
The sales lady highly recommended Strawberry Champagne and said it was a limited-edition flavor. Each box was about $12, and I’m guessing it would be more expensive if you were to get it through other retailers. In the US, Mitsuwa sells them. Or you can order it online, directly from Royce.
I love matcha (green tea) everything (I was obsessed with green tea Kit Kats many years ago). I needed to try a box of matcha chocolates.
The chocolates need to be refrigerated, and you get an insulated pouch to keep the chocolates cool for an extended period. The box opens up and there they are my precious chocolates!
Royce chocolates are known for their soft-tasting notes that melt in your mouth. Even when they’re refrigerated, they don’t get rock hard as some chocolates do.
A batch of chocolates is pre-cut and packaged in a plastic bag along with a cutting knife (?). The chocolates are already pre-cut so the enclosed plastic “knife” is not really for cutting them. I believe it’s for separating a piece from the rest. It’s more like a toothpick. These chocolates are delicate and have the perfect amount of sweetness.
The chocolate has cocoa powder on the surface, and it gets on your fingers as you grab one but who doesn’t love some extra cocoa powder? The matcha chocolate has a strong green tea flavor, and it has a friendly green tea flavor that I love and enjoy.
The Strawberry Champagne is great. The bittersweet dark chocolate powder mixes well with the refreshing strawberry flavor.
Forget Pepperidge Farm and baked cookies from your local bakery. Yoku Moku’s Cigare Cookies are the bomb.
Yoku Moku is a very popular Japanese confectioner that makes all-natural butter cookies (along with other desserts) that are free of additives, preservatives, or chemicals. These delicate, rolled cookies resemble the shape of a cigar; hence, the name Cigare.
These cookies have a rich, buttery taste with a hint of vanilla. And they are on the sweeter side. Because they’re so delicate and soft, they crumble easily. The cookies were wrapped around once more inside the tin box; however, a few of them were already crumbled when I unboxed them. The cookies come in Yoku Moku’s signature tin box. I’m going to repurpose the box as a drawer insert. It is way too sturdy and well-made to be thrown away.
Each cookie is individually wrapped to ensure freshness. It melts in your mouth. Because the cookies don’t contain any preservatives, the shelf life is relatively short. Not that I can’t complain 20 cookies in a week. It is so hard to eat just one.
The cookies contain dairy and nuts, so if you’re allergic to them, heads up.
I fell in love with the cookies and hunted down the retailers. Currently in the United States, Neiman Marcus and Amazon sell them.
If you’re looking for premium luxury chocolate, try Deux Cranes. Their chocolates are not just delicious but also beautifully crafted, blending Japanese and French influences. Each piece feels like a work of art, with unique flavors like miso caramel or yuzu that really set them apart. The packaging is also super elegant, making it a perfect gift or a treat-yourself moment. It’s definitely a step up from your average chocolate—more like a true indulgence. I've tried the Matcha Chocolate with Caramelized Sesame and Dark Chocolate with Strawberry, and they were both phenomenal.
Japanese Tea Cookies
Business Partner
Must be sold in the US
Well-known and popular in Japan
Gift wrapped and presentable
I'm looking for a gift for my Japanese business partner. He and his wife live in the States, so I was hoping to get something that is traditional and Japanese. Any recommendation for finger food or tea cookies that are popular in Japan would be greatly appreciated.
Royce chocolates make fantastic gifts (although they're not tea cookies).
Royce chocolates are so popular in Japan, and they top many tourists’ shopping lists who visit Japan. I was one of those who purchased a few boxes of Royce chocolates at the airport, and man, they are awesome.
The sales lady highly recommended Strawberry Champagne and said it was a limited-edition flavor. Each box was about $12, and I’m guessing it would be more expensive if you were to get it through other retailers. In the US, Mitsuwa sells them. Or you can order it online, directly from Royce.
I love matcha (green tea) everything (I was obsessed with green tea Kit Kats many years ago). I needed to try a box of matcha chocolates.
The chocolates need to be refrigerated, and you get an insulated pouch to keep the chocolates cool for an extended period. The box opens up and there they are my precious chocolates!
Royce chocolates are known for their soft-tasting notes that melt in your mouth. Even when they’re refrigerated, they don’t get rock hard as some chocolates do.
A batch of chocolates is pre-cut and packaged in a plastic bag along with a cutting knife (?). The chocolates are already pre-cut so the enclosed plastic “knife” is not really for cutting them. I believe it’s for separating a piece from the rest. It’s more like a toothpick. These chocolates are delicate and have the perfect amount of sweetness.
The chocolate has cocoa powder on the surface, and it gets on your fingers as you grab one but who doesn’t love some extra cocoa powder? The matcha chocolate has a strong green tea flavor, and it has a friendly green tea flavor that I love and enjoy.
The Strawberry Champagne is great. The bittersweet dark chocolate powder mixes well with the refreshing strawberry flavor.
Get Yoku Moku's Cigare Cookies!
Forget Pepperidge Farm and baked cookies from your local bakery. Yoku Moku’s Cigare Cookies are the bomb.
Yoku Moku is a very popular Japanese confectioner that makes all-natural butter cookies (along with other desserts) that are free of additives, preservatives, or chemicals. These delicate, rolled cookies resemble the shape of a cigar; hence, the name Cigare.
These cookies have a rich, buttery taste with a hint of vanilla. And they are on the sweeter side. Because they’re so delicate and soft, they crumble easily. The cookies were wrapped around once more inside the tin box; however, a few of them were already crumbled when I unboxed them. The cookies come in Yoku Moku’s signature tin box. I’m going to repurpose the box as a drawer insert. It is way too sturdy and well-made to be thrown away.
Each cookie is individually wrapped to ensure freshness. It melts in your mouth. Because the cookies don’t contain any preservatives, the shelf life is relatively short. Not that I can’t complain 20 cookies in a week. It is so hard to eat just one.
The cookies contain dairy and nuts, so if you’re allergic to them, heads up.
I fell in love with the cookies and hunted down the retailers. Currently in the United States, Neiman Marcus and Amazon sell them.
If you’re looking for premium luxury chocolate, try Deux Cranes. Their chocolates are not just delicious but also beautifully crafted, blending Japanese and French influences. Each piece feels like a work of art, with unique flavors like miso caramel or yuzu that really set them apart. The packaging is also super elegant, making it a perfect gift or a treat-yourself moment. It’s definitely a step up from your average chocolate—more like a true indulgence. I've tried the Matcha Chocolate with Caramelized Sesame and Dark Chocolate with Strawberry, and they were both phenomenal.