Umami Mart Gift Guide
Conbini Cabaret

Conbini Cabaret: Gentei Candy, LTD

A few weeks ago, one of my professors went off on a tangent while lecturing: “I was looking through a text book which read, ‘Japanese are nature-loving people.’ As if other people don’t love nature! I don’t know where you’re from, but many places also...

Skankynavia

Skankynavia: Icelandic Nammi

As I've written in a post some years ago, Iceland is a nation of candy addicts. Especially if the candy is chocolate mixed with liquorice. It's crazy how much candy the Icelandic people eat - but since there's no fresh ice cream tradition like in Italy...

Packaging Whore

Packaging Whore: Kawaii Eats

The kawaii (= cute) world of Japan is a very positive dimension of happiness, beauty, bunnies, rainbows and ribbons. And not just something that contains characters, but also an aesthetic approach that appeals to your heart, with a rather feminine touch and usually a soft...