Senmonten

One of the most fun things you can do in Japan is to eat at a senmonten. Senmonten means specialty shop. Senmonten restaurants specialize in one specific kind of dish.

Similar to the shokunin (masters of their craft) that I wrote about previously, senmonten are places where the utmost intention and care have been placed and laser-focused on perfecting a singular dish or type of dish. It’s this intense dedication to a specific food that creates mastery.

To find senmonten in any Japanese city, search “item (or food) + senmonten + city”.

This is what came up when I googled “kushikatsu +senmonten +Tokyo”. That’s a lot of options from one quick search. And kushikatsu is delicious. Osaka may be more famous for it than Tokyo, but that wouldn’t prevent me from having it in Tokyo or any other city.

There’s even a legendary gyoza restaurant in Kyoto named senmonten that I’m dying to try out. I’ve heard they have the best gyoza in Kyoto. If you’ve been and have an opinion, let me know.

サービス (Sa-bisu)

Sa-bisu is the Japanese loanword for service, but sometimes loanwords don’t mean the same thing they do in the original language. This is one of those cases.

While it can be used the normal way “service/services” (like “these are the services we offer at this store”), you are most likely to hear sa-bisu at a small pub or izakaya. The owner/chef will say it to you as they hand you a small plate of food or another drink. It means the item is complimentary. In other words, think of sa-bisu as “on the house.”

This is even more likely to happen if you’ve previously bought the chef/owner/bartender a drink like I wrote here. Another reason to love small Japanese establishments.

300 Flavors of Kit Kats

I’m sure you’ve had Kit Kats, and if you live in a big city, you’ve probably seen a few unusual Japanese Kit Kat flavors at your local store. But you may not know that there are literally hundreds of Kit Kat flavors in Japan you’ve probably never heard of.

Since 2000, Nestle (the maker of Kit Kats) has introduced over 300 flavors in Japan. Yes, that’s an insane amount. It makes for some unusual and entertaining eating experiences.

The flavors fall into several categories: regular ones that are always available, adult flavors that are less sweet and more subtle, seasonal & limited edition, collaboration Kit Kats, bakeable Kit Kats, alcoholic Kit Kats, and many more.

Some more unusual flavors are soy sauce, apple vinegar, ginger ale, hot chili, wasabi, potato, and cough drop. I’m not sure I need a cough-drop Kit Kat, but I do enjoy some of the unique Japan-only flavors, others are just meh (matcha), or even worse (corn, banana, soy sauce). Sample at your own risk. 

There’s even been an ultra-rare sushi Kit Kat that was originally an April Fool’s joke that ended up being made due to high interest. 

Here’s a list of all the flavors. (I have no affiliation with this shop).

The Ultimate Kit Kat guide from Japan Candystore. (Same store. Still no affiliation)

The Japanese flavors make great souvenirs and fun holiday gifts if you can keep from eating them.

Go to the Kit Kat Chocolatory store in Ikebukuro for an unforgettable Kit Kat shopping experience. This could be a fun place to take your kids and let them choose some unusual candy flavors.

If you’re curious to try some of these flavors at home, you can order a variety pack from Amazon here (affiliate link). I would avoid ordering in the summer because in the hot months, they can melt on the way but cooler temps during Fall and Winter are ideal.