My usual routine when going for a day hike in Japan is to first stop by a convenience store and pick up lunch and some snacks. I do love Japanese convenience stores. Over the past year or two, I’ve randomly been taking photos of my snacks mid-hike (often with Fuji in the background), and now I have enough to make a post about it.
I will point out that buying from the convenience store is generally pricier than buying in bulk from a supermarket. So if you are planning on regularly hiking, it may be better to be well-prepared and stock up at the grocery store rather than buying last minute.
Rice balls
Rice balls (or “onigiri”) are a staple in Japan, both on the trail and off. I’ll usually take two with me for my lunch.
Pastries
If you’re not such a big fan of rice, all convenience stores will have a selection of sandwiches directly next to them, as well as a pastry section. You can stick with the classics, like a “cream-pan” or “melon-pan”, or try something weird.
Two standouts for me are:
- 7/11’s “Cycle Me” range of pastries, which are generally a tiny bit healthier and higher in protein than other pastries
- Daily Yamazaki, a convenience store chain more popular in rural areas, has a god-tier selection of pastries. I would die for their melon-pan croissant.
Muji’s Baumkuchen
If you’re looking for something sweeter, or something to take on a multi-day hike, Muji’s selection of baumkuchen bars are another great choice. These are type of cake originally from Germany, but now quite popular in Japan as well. Unlike rice balls or pastries from the convenience store which you’re supposed to eat on the same day, the baumkuchen bars are quite long-lasting, and they come in a variety of flavours. And they’re super light considering how many calories they have (350 to 400 calories) so make a good option for an ultralight hiker.
If I’m going on an overnight hike, I might take rice balls to eat on the first day, and pack these baum bars to eat on the morning of the second.
The bars can be bought from Muji stores, but are often commonly stocked at the Lawson chain of convenience stores as well, albeit in a smaller range of flavours.
My Muji baumkuchen tier list
At one point I was keeping a list of my favourite flavours, since I’ve tried so many! I would rate them as:
- S-tier: Coffee, since it’s not overly sweet and has that tinge of coffee bitterness
- A-tier: Chocolate, also since it’s not overly sweet and is a little bit like dark chocolate. Also surprisingly Milk, you’d think Milk would be boring, but it was the perfect amount of sweetness.
- B-tier: Pumpkin and Banana, both solid flavours. Kinako too, which is a bit like a not-to-sweet chai
- C-tier: Honey, Cultured Butter, Salted vanilla. Boring but inoffensive.
- D-tier: Tea, which tastes like soap. And sweet potato which is all sweet and no potato
As you can see, I seem to prefer the slightly less sweet versions.
Dried fruit and potato sticks
If you’re looking for a carb source that’s more snack than meal, I usually go for a bag of dried sweet potato sticks. I love these. If you’re not interested in potatoes, convenience stores also tend to stock other dried fruit snacks as well.
Yokan
You know those energy gels that runners often use? I like to think of yokan like the traditional Japanese equivalent. It’s a sweet bar of jelly made out of red bean paste and sugar. It’s not actually designed to be used during exercise per se - it’s more like something you eat together with green tea - but considering it’s like a lot of sweetness in a small package I’d say it’s basically perfect for that purpose.
Nowadays I usually tend to pick up a bag of these in bulk at the supermarket.
Gummi
I don’t eat gummi as much these days as I usually stick with the aforementioned yokan and dried potato sticks, but there’s a large variety of flavours so it’s a good quick energy source while hiking. A lot of the gummi are quite soft, but a favourite of mine is the “Tough gummy” series, which are good if you’re looking for something to chew on.
Beef jerky
So with all the carbs I’m eating, I will admit I get a bit worried that I’m not getting enough protein in. I get a bit conscious about protein intake, since I do weightlifting as well. Enter beef jerky, which has about 20g of protein in around a 100 calorie serving. The only downside is they are quite expensive from the convenience store - around 400 - 500 yen.
I also tried salmon jerky once, but I can’t say I recommend it.
Alternatively, there is a brand called SAVAS which does protein drinks. I usually buy one for the drive home.
Almond and small fish
For the slightly more adventurous, there’s also the common Japanese snack “almond kozakana” or as usually call it “fish n nuts”. These are about 100 calories for 10g of protein, so half the protein of jerky, but still pretty decent. And yes, those are whole fish you are eating. But tiny ones. The fish are also glazed so they do have a sweet taste to them.
Kari kari ume
For those that like sour things, I have the perfect snack for you. Umeboshi are very sour pickled plums that Japanese people usually eat together with rice. However there is a kari kari (or “crunchy”) version that you can buy at any convenience store. The calories are low (like 10 calories for the packet) so it’s more of a salt replenisher than anything, but nice when you just want something to snack on.
A hot drink or cup noodles at the summit
In the colder months, if you bring along your own mini gas burner you can make a much-needed cup of hot coffee or even cup noodles at the summit. This is a common sight on Japanese mountains.
Cold treats after a summer hike
For a period, I had a obsession with these ramune jelly drinks you can get from the vending machines. They’re only available in summer, but are so good.
Another popular Japanese treat is Coolish ice cream, which usually comes in a standard vanilla flavour, and then some sort of seasonal limited edition flavour. These have a screw lid so it’s a great snack if you don’t want to worry about having the ice cream melt on you.
A shoutout to Starbucks
A common companion on my early morning drives is a Starbucks coffee. If you’re using the Chuo Expressway, the Dangozaka service area has a store that opens at 6am. Unfortunately if I’m driving out via the other expressways, the Starbucks on those routes open later in the morning and so I usually have to go without (sad).
Australians generally hate Starbucks, which is fair because Australia has much better coffee, but I promise you Japanese Starbucks is decent.
In the warmer months, I might stop by Starbucks on the way home instead if I’m interested in one of their seasonal frappes.
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