This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Pocky perfection! Time to take a snack break with Japan’s most iconic thin chocolate biscuit; Pocky has plenty of flavours to choose from and is easily available in pretty much every Japanese convenience store.
A pocketful or purse of Pocky is a pleasurable experience and is a tasty snack to enjoy by yourself or share with others.
With over fifty flavours available (alas many are limited edition), you’ll never tire of their biscuity bite and chocolate coverings.
From the sensation of strawberry Pocky to Pocky in gachapon form, here is our ultimate guide to Pocky in Japan in 2024:
You might like – Guide to 40+ Japanese Kit Kat flavours (including Sake Kit Kat) >
What is Pocky?
Essentially, Pocky in Japan is a long thin biscuit manufactured by Glico with the top half covered in chocolate or another equally sweet topping like banana chocolate or matcha.
People love this snack so much as they are very affordable in Japan, plus there are so many flavours to choose from.
Often launching limited editions or new seasonal flavours – eating Pocky and searching out their new types is just fun!
You may ask, is Pocky savoury or sweet? Well, Pocky itself is a sweet biscuit stick but its sister product Pretz is all about savoury flavours (more on this later).
You might like – Guide to Kura Sushi Conveyor Belt restaurants in Japan >
So THE BIG Question – is Pocky a biscuit or snack, biscuit or candy?
There hasn’t been such a big debate since whether the Jaffa Cake is a biscuit or a cake* !
There is much debate but given how the entire Pocky is a biscuit at heart and then only approx half is covered in chocolate, we’d say it was a biscuit more than a chocolate bar / candy.
*The Jaffa Cake is obviously a biscuit. Although the main ingredient is a sponge, so technically…
You might like – the Cult of the Dragon Quest Themed Lawson in Osaka >
Is Pocky Japanese?
Yes, Pocky is a Japanese snack made by the Glico company since the mid 1960s – the Japanese term for Pocky is” ポッキー”.
The word ‘Pocky’ itself is a derivation of the Japanese sound / onomatopoeia “pokkiri,” which is akin to the noise made when biting into the biscuit stick.
Glico itself began life in 1922 launching chocolate candy bars which were said to boost energy and which gave us the iconic Glico Man, which we’ve talked about more extensively in our ‘cult of Glico Man’ article here >
You might like – The cult of Lawson’s fried chicken karaage kun nuggets >
History
First hitting the shelves in 1966, the taste sensation Pocky was invented by Japanese Yoshiaki Koma and manufactured by Glico, one of the biggest Japanese confectionery and snack manufacturers (the snack is now also available in many other countries overseas).
It is said that Pocky was inspired by the classic Kushikatsu dish, which consists of skewers (‘kushi’) filled with deep fried meat and vegetables (‘katsu’).
You might like – Things you can buy in Japan 7-Eleven stores (or a guide to 7-Eleven ATMs)
Where can you buy Pocky in Japan?
You can buy Pocky in Japan in pretty much every convenience store (there are over 55,000 ‘konbinis’ in Japan as of 2024), from 7-Eleven to Lawson, Family Mart to Daily Yamakazi to Seicomart and more, plus vending machines galore – they are popular and big in Japan.
Overseas, you can also buy Pocky Japan in international branches of 7-Eleven (they are widely available in 7-Eleven Thailand, 7-Eleven Korea or 7-Eleven Taiwan).
Outside of Japan, one of the biggest international sellers is the Don Quijote stores, known as Don Don Donki outside of Japan.
We’ve often found Pocky in Japanese shops in London too.
You might like – The cult of Japanese convenience store egg-sandwiches >
Why do Japanese love Pocky?
Besides the low price point and obvious tastiness, the Japanese love Pocky as they are easy to share with friends, family and co-workers plus there is a sense of anticipation around limited edition flavours like all the special sakura / cherry blossom types and packaging.
And the packaging itself plays a big part – as Pocky has been a part of Japanese culture for over 50 years, there is a sense of nostalgia when buying Pocky as the box itself has barely changed since its inception.
Sometimes it is nice / reassuring to see something familiar in an ever-changing Japan.
Love cup noodles? Design your own at the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama >
What is the Difference Between Pocky and Pretz?
Both made by Glico, the main difference between Pretz and Pocky is that Pocky is for sweet flavours whilst Pretz is more savoury.
The two were launched only three or four years apart and both continue to dominate the snack section at Japanese savoury stores.
Pretz flavours have been numerous over the years, selling everything from coriander Pretz to Wasabi or tomato.
BRAND NEW FOR MAY 2024
Join our Facebook Japan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Japan itinerary or have any questions?
Head on over to our Facebook group and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
Different Flavours
Over the years, there have been over 50 different Pocky flavours, but the core favourites are as follows:
Chocolate
Strawberry
Cookies and Cream
Milky Matcha
Crushed Nuts
Which is better – Kit Kat Vs Pocky?
Japan is famous for two of the biggest selling chocolate biscuit brands of all time – Pocky and Kit Kat. But which is better?
Pocky is a more affordable snack than Kit Kat but the latter has a much more satisfying crunch and has a sweet biscuit base – Pocky is also better for sharing.
We also find the core Pocky flavours like strawberry and banana a bit more sweeter than Japanese Kit Kat chocolate so the choice is yours – both are delicious and iconic Japanese chocolate covered biscuit snacks.
You might like our guide to Kit Kats in Japan >
Gachapon
Such is the cult of Pocky in Japan, you can even buy Pocky gachapon toys. Their range of gachapon toys are widely available across many gachapon stores in Japan.
There have been several series of Pocky Gachapon toys which include kawaii capsule toys like mini chocolate bars or Pocky aprons.
And it isn’t just Pocky getting into gachapons – most Japanese chain restaurants have some form of gachapon toy collection such as Kura Sushi, Coco Ichibanya, Mister Donut, Saizeriya, Gindaco and Mos Burger.
You might like our guide to the coolest gachapon toy capsules in Japan >
How much are Pocky in Japan?
A basic packet of Pocky biscuits (like the chocolate or strawberry) costs around 150 Yen per packet.
National Pocky Day
Pocky is so famous and iconic, Glico has now designated November 11 as “Pocky & Pretz Day” – the 11 November.
This special date was chosed as the digits 11:11 look like four Pocky sticks back to back.
National Pocky Day in Japan will celebrates its 25th anniversary in November 11 2024 – so get eating those Pocky to celebrate or they’ll send round the Glico Man to harm you (probably).
You might like – Guide to Japan’s cheapest beer experience, the 500 Yen Kirin Brewery tour >
Other Things to know
- Pocky chocolate biscuits are BIG sellers – they once even had a Guinness World Record announcing Pocky as the “World’s Biggest Selling Chocolate-coated biscuit brand!” – We wonder what Kit Kat would have to say about this.
- Giant Pocky is a thing, designed for those who find the current smaller sticks too small. They say you can’t have enough of a good thing so we are all here for big Pocky!
- There is a Pocky Game aimed at couples whereby both partners share a Pocky stick each nibbling at one end – the winner is the last one with the stick. Ick!
- If you are a real ‘lover’ of Pocky, you’ll be ‘heartened’ to hear you can buy Pocky with a biscuit shaped like a heart inside – a perfect way to play the Pocky Game perhaps!
Did you enjoy our blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow us on:
Instagram
Tik Tok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
You might also like to read…
Cult of Convenience Store Egg Sandwiches in Japan
Mister Donut Japan (Misdo) – the cult of Japan’s number 1 donut
Cult of Lawson’s Fried Chicken Kara-age Kun Nuggets in Japan
Guide to Kura Sushi – Japan’s popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant
Everything you wanted to know about Don Quijote stores in Japan
Japanese Gachapons – The Coolest Gachapon Toys in Japan