10 Best Local Specialties and Products for a Souvenir from Kansai Area

When on traveling, choosing what to buy for souvenir gifts would be a bit difficult. Everybody should want to get something that can make friends and family members happy. However, you don’t have to worry about it when you go to Kansai area which is a very popular travel destination in Japan. Must-buy items of each prefecture are in this list. Read this article and get ideas, and you will not be a bad gift chooser.

Omoshiroi Koibito

“Owarai [comedy]” would come to the mind of many Japanese people when they think about Osaka. If you are visiting Osaka, why not picking something funny as a souvenir gift? “Omoshiroi Koibito [funny lover]” is a relatively new gaufre product that has been on sale since 2010.

Flavors include: Mitarashi (soy sauce syrup) and Osaka’s specialty, fruit mixed juice for regular choices, and Chocolate Banana, Melon, Naniwa Zenzai (sweet azuki bean soup), and Osaka people’s favorite Iced Coffee for seasonal choices. With their humorous appearances and the unique flavors, they can be a great souvenir gift.

Fruit Daifuku

Although people usually think the regular souvenir gift from Kyoto is wagashi [Japanese confectionery] such as Yatsuhashi and Matcha stuff, Kyoto has many more specialties. “Fruit Daifuku [sticky rice cake with fruit and anko (azuki bean jam) inside]” is one of them that is a popular but less-known product made by a stylish confectionery shop, “Yoroken” in Kyoto.

Daifuku is easy to afford at convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan, but the ones of “Yoroken” are different with fresh delicious chunked fruits in it. Their stuffing varieties include: Strawberry, Kiwifruit, Grape, and Tomato. If you have to walk around for a long time, you can ask for ice packs. Worth to try when you visit Osaka.

Nigori Wine

There would be many people who do not like wine because of its combination of sweetness and bitterness, and its unique flavor. However, some among them might want to try wines, since they can be a great partener of various dishes. So, here is the one for you. “Nigori Wine” is delicious unfiltered wine sold at Hitomi Winery in Shiga prefecture.

This Nigori Wine has more sweetness than usual wines and less alcoholic flavor. Would be accepted by everyone. It is normally difficult to choose wine as a souvenir gift because everybody has different tastes, but “Nigori Wine” can be a perfect one.

Daibutsu Pudding

It is not too much to say that a historic city, Nara, is one of the cities that represent the history of Japan. Nara has its own atmosphere that makes people feel a sense of ancient Japan, and that is unspeakably exciting. There are many attractions in Nara such as Nara Park, Todaiji, Horyuji, and Goju no Tō, but you will not want to miss local specialties!

People should want to get something unavailable somewhere else when buying a souvenir. “Daibutsu Pudding” produced and sold by “Mahoroba Daibutsu Puddhing Honpo” would be the perfect gift. A picture of a gentle looking face of Daibutsu [big buddha] is printed on its lid, which would make you smile. It is not just cute but the taste is superb with its nice creamy texture melting in a mouth.

Awaji Orange Stick

How do you like the combination of chocolate and orange? Needless to say, they match really well with the refreshing citrus flavor and the bitter sweet chocolate taste. There are various sweets of this kind such as chocolate with orange peels, purre inside, or orange slices on, mixed with orange oil, candied orange covered with chocolate, etc.

Among many, “Awaji Orange Stick” is highly recommended. It is a candied orange peel covered with chocolate, and the oranges they use are from Awaji island of Hyōgo. It is rare to see this kind of sweets made with oranges from Japan. Add this to your must-buy list.

Mitarashi Komochi

Have you ever heard of mitarashi dango? It is one of the traditional Japanese sweets, grilled skewers of dumpling balls made from sticky and normal rice flour covered with mitarashi sauce (sweet soy sauce syrup). It has a chewy sticky texture and tastes sweet. For many Japanese people, Mitarashi dango is a nostalgic food, and there are still many lovers of it.

In the foodies city, Osaka, Kansai area, there is a local sweets, called “Mitarashi Komochi”: a small round rice cake with sweet mitarashi sauce inside, which goes really well with warm green tea. You can get it at Chidoriya in Osaka. Try this rare type of rice cake product.

Awaji-shima Tamanegi Soup

When choosing souvenirs, local keychains or stationeries can be one of the options. However, some people prefer something that does not stay, and they might not want sweet stuff, either. On that kind of occasion, “Awaji Tamanegi Soup” can be helpful. This powdered onion soup is made from onions, all of which are produced in Awaji Island, Hyōgo.

Tastes really mild and delicious, but there is another highlight. This soup powder can be used as a seasoning for cooking. Add in fried rice, curry, soup for ramen noodles, and so on. You can turn your ordinary dishes into something different. Prepare the budget for it when you travel to Kansai area.

Kohaku Yuzu

“Kohaku Yuzu” is an elegant summer confectionery with a refreshing appearance, made with agar agar. You can get it at “Eirakuya” in Kyoto. This confectionery looks clear and white, and tastes moderately sweet with a crispy sugar-coated outside and moist inside. It goes really well with matcha green tea.

The reason of its popularity is its extraordinary beautiful appearance. A piece of yuzu citrus peel can be seen through from the clear white body, and that looks brilliant like a jewel. When you cannot make up your mind what to get for a souvenir, “Kohaku Yuzu” can be a great help.

Asamiyacha

As souvenir options, many sweet stuff has been listed so far, but food can be difficult in terms of expiration date. You might have to rush to give the souvenir as soon as possible. On that occasion, green tea leaves can be a solution. Nobody needs to worry about food getting spoiled. Your friends will be happy with the very Japanese souvenir.

“Asamiyacha” has a historical background, and is one of 5 best green tea of Japan. Its elegant taste is created in a traditional method, and you can get the noble tea at Nakagawa Seiseidō Chaho in Shiga prefecture.

Kaki Kōri

Staple souvenirs are always nice, but they are famous and affordable in other areas, too. You might want to try something really rare; something you cannot get anywhere else for a souvenir gift. Your friends would like it better.

“Kaki Kōri” is a frozen confectionery sold at a persimmon specialty shop, “Kaki no Senmon Ishii” located in Nara prefecture. It’s a frozen arrowroot cake with persimmon inside. You can enjoy its unique appearance and texture. If it is heavy to carry, you can send it by refrigerated courier service that covers some Asian countries. Think about it when you visit Kansai for sightseeing.

Get Souvenirs in Kansai Area and Make People Happy!

How did you like it? This article was about the 10 Best Local Specialties and Products for a Souvenir from Kansai Area. In this area, there are many famous places known as staple tourist spots such as Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hyōgo. If you are planning to travel to Kansai, use the list above, and get something that can make people happy!