If you ever wanted a snack that looks at you with the calm, judgment-free expression of Hello Kitty herself, Shiose Souhonke has you covered. The 670-year-old wagashi institution has teamed up with Sanrio to turn Japan’s most famous (not) cat into… buns. Red and white, yam-based, artisan-crafted buns. Yes, actual pastry artisans spent their morning hand-shaping Kitty’s face so you can bite into it during tea time.
Alongside the manju, there’s a lineup of character-themed yokan featuring Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and more—perfect for anyone who likes their traditional sweets with a side of pop-culture chaos. Each box even comes with an exclusive collaboration sticker, so you get dessert and stationery bragging rights.
The Hello Kitty manju comes in a set of four. Each bun is about the size of a standard wagashi piece (roughly palm-sized, around 4–5 cm / 1.6–2 in), filled with Shiose’s signature smooth koshi-an.
Price: 1,944 yen (tax included) [JP]. This is a Japan-only thing for obvious reasons.
Images: Shiose Souhonke Co., Ltd. [JP].
