Jelly beans aren’t one of my favorite candy formats, but I was interested in trying out the tropical flavors. The texture on these was a little on the stiffer side; whether that was age, temperature, or intentional, I am unsure. In any case, the flavors were indeed tasty and I ate this bag faster than I care to admit, but not sure I would seek these out again. There are so many other candies in the world!
Japan Candy Store, while seeking out some ramune candies to replace my Kasugai fruits ramune candy fix
Pretty tasty, I enjoy the strawberry and grape flavors. A little bit more of sandy texture, so not top of the class for ramune candies. The mouse character seems to belong to Lucy Cousins, an English children’s lit writer.
A Daiso store in Tokyo, Japan (I want to say near Harajuku?). Sometimes available on Japan Candy Store.
On my second and as-of-yet last trip to Japan in 2019, I attempted to find my beloved Kasugai Ramune candy again but was unsuccessful. This fruit-flavored variety pack by Abeseika is a great replacement, though. The tablets come in melon, strawberry, lemon, grape, and orange, and you can rip each flavor off the strip as its own little packet. This is great for PACING ONESELF and making the candies you have stockpiled in Japan last longer when coming back home.
I’ve looked for these in a Daiso in Seattle, WA recently, and though they were out of stock, according to the salesclerk it sounds like they do generally carry Ramune candies.
Some (chain?) grocery store in Asakusa, Tokyo, the first time I visited Japan. I was quite jetlagged and bought these on a whim, and now I love them forever. Sometimes available on Japan Candy Store.
These little tablets are my white whale, my accidental entry into a deep love for Ramune-style candy. For my fellow Americans, these are basically Smarties—powder compressed into tablets. Unlike Smarties, which are pretty hard, these will dissolve in your mouth. I suppose that fizziness is what makes them “Ramune” candy, in that they (gently) fizz like soda. I say “gentle” because these are definitely not Poprocks, the dissolution is much more subtle.
I have not found the Kasugai fruit Ramune candies anywhere in stock, since I first picked them up on a whim in a Japanese grocery store. I had a sinking suspicion that this particular line is discontinued, but they ended up restocking these on Japan Candy Store for a hot minute.
