https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/wagashi-what-was-that-japanese-sweet 2026-10-10T16:20:27+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-wagashi-hero.jpg?v=1790814812 How to name a Japanese sweet when you don't know the word An assortment of wagashi — traditional Japanese sweets — arranged on a plate https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/dango-what-was-on-that-skewer 2026-10-10T16:20:13+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-dango-kushidango-stall.webp?v=1790814699 Those sweet dumplings on a stick are dango, and one of them isn't sweet Rows of dango on bamboo skewers under a glossy brown glaze, on a tray at a Japanese stall https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/dorayaki-japanese-red-bean-pancake 2026-10-01T10:57:52+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-dorayaki-anko-showing.webp?v=1789249458 Two little pancakes with red bean in the middle: that's dorayaki Dorayaki — two small browned pancakes sandwiched around sweet red bean paste https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/taiyaki-japanese-fish-shaped-cake 2026-10-10T16:20:40+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-taiyaki-hero.jpg?v=1790814889 Taiyaki is shaped like a fish. There's no fish in it. Taiyaki — a browned Japanese fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean paste https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/imagawayaki-japanese-red-bean-cake 2026-10-01T10:35:29+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-imagawayaki-hero.jpg?v=1790814929 Why that round red bean cake has four names Imagawayaki - a thick round Japanese cake off a hotplate, crisp at the rim, red bean sealed inside https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/konbini-japanese-convenience-store 2026-10-14T07:42:33+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-konbini-seven-eleven-night_df6ee7a2-92c8-4f8a-b942-0d850d141e19.webp?v=1790587346 Konbini: why Japanese convenience store food is so much better than ours A 7-Eleven in Tokyo at night, its stripe lit above the doorway https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/don-quijote-japan-donki 2026-10-01T10:54:58+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-donki-hero.webp?v=1790814857 Don Quijote in Japan: how to shop Donki without losing an hour Inside a Don Quijote in Shibuya — shelves packed to the ceiling with hand-written yellow price signs https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/otsumami-japanese-drinking-snacks 2026-10-01T10:29:48+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-otsumami-edamame-salted.webp?v=1790814588 Otsumami: what Japan snacks on when it's drinking Salted edamame pods in a bamboo basket at a Japanese restaurant https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/ramune-japanese-marble-soda 2026-10-06T17:24:04+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-ramune-five-flavours.webp?v=1789882180 Ramune: the Japanese soda with a marble stuck in the bottle Five bottles of ramune in a row — orange, strawberry, lychee, melon and original — each with a glass marble in its neck https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/ramune-candy-japanese-tablets 2026-09-29T18:05:15+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-ramune-candy-kuppy.webp?v=1789254148 Ramune candy: the chalky tablets that borrowed the drink's name Kuppy Ramune — a heap of small chalky tablets in white and pale pink on a wooden table https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/nama-chocolate-japanese-ganache-squares 2026-10-07T21:51:10+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-nama-chocolate-royce-box.webp?v=1790499796 Nama chocolate: the soft squares, and why the recipe counts in bars Nama chocolate — an open box of cocoa-dusted squares, one lifted on a pick to show its soft cut face https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/nerikiri-japanese-flower-sweet 2026-09-28T19:13:48+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-nerikiri-toraya-flower.webp?v=1790586828 That little flower you were served with matcha is nerikiri A pink five-petalled fresh sweet with a yellow centre, on a black plate at Toraya Café in Japan https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/mentaiko-japanese-pollock-roe 2026-09-28T23:47:39+10:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-mentaiko-sliced-shiso.webp?v=1790603124 Mentaiko: the pink, speckled roe on your pasta, rice and sushi Slices of bright red mentaiko, cured pollock roe, in a dark bowl with green herb leaves https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/japanese-gifts-australia 2026-10-08T15:14:57+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-japanese-gifts-hero-furoshiki-gift.webp?v=1790666734 Giving a Japanese gift: what to choose, and where to buy it here A present wrapped in a gold patterned furoshiki cloth, tied in a knot on top https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/japanese-supermarket-sydney 2026-10-08T13:07:56+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-japanese-supermarket-sydney-hero-miso-shelf.webp?v=1790764685 Japanese grocery stores in Sydney, and which one to go to Shelves stacked with tubs of Japanese miso paste, each labelled in Japanese https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/setsubun-japanese-bean-throwing-festival 2026-10-08T15:15:16+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-setsubun-beans-roll-oni-mask.webp?v=1790945280 Setsubun: why Japan throws beans at an ogre on 3 February Roasted soybeans, a whole uncut sushi roll and a red paper ogre mask on a table, ready for Setsubun https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/gashapon-japanese-capsule-toys 2026-10-10T20:34:21+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-gashapon-hero-akihabara-wall.webp?v=1791437561 Gashapon, Japan's capsule toys, and where to turn one in Sydney A wall of capsule-toy machines outside a shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, with people turning the handles https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/what-is-chiikawa 2026-10-15T07:12:24+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-chiikawa-hero-life-size.webp?v=1791624569 Chiikawa, the little Japanese characters on every keyring A life-size Chiikawa, the round white character with pink cheeks and small round ears, standing in a crowd at an anime festival in Hsinchu, Taiwan https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/japanese-cartoon-characters 2026-10-15T07:11:55+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-characters-hero-pikachu-parade.webp?v=1792008622 Japanese cartoon characters, sorted: who's who and who makes them A crowd of people in Pikachu costumes, yellow with red cheeks and long pointed ears, dancing in a street parade in Japan https://shintop.com.au/blogs/guides/seafood-sticks-kanikama 2026-10-17T16:18:04+11:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0824/1312/5858/articles/guide-kanikama-stick-plate.webp?v=1792214139 Seafood sticks: Japan's kanikama, and what's really in them A bundle of red-and-white kanikama seafood sticks on a white plate