Japanese chocolate snacks you should try ② Kinoko no Yama & Takenoko no Sato

Kinoko no Yama (lit. mushroom mountain) and Takenoko no Sato (lit. bamboo shoot village) by Meiji company are long-sellers that I have enjoyed since I was a child.

Unlike many treats I used to love but don't feel like eating any more, these two have always been my favorite.

Kinoko no Yama is a mushroom-shaped crunchy cookie and Takeno no Sato is a bamboo shoot-shaped biscuit cookie covered with two layers of chocolate. Both taste great, but I personally like bamboo shoots better than mushrooms.  It is hard to explain why, but I find the combination of mouth melting chocolate and crispy cookies so delicious.

This is the package of Takenoko no Sato (above), which has been on the market since 1979. It sells for 194 yen at convenience stores and little bit cheaper at supermarkets.

One package has about about 32 tiny bit-sized cookies (77grams, 426 kcal).

Last year Meiji released the new versions: "Otona no Kinoko no Yama" and "Otona no Takenoko no Sato."  "Otona no" means  "for adults."  What is different from the standard ones?

Well, the package are more chick and they say the chocolate is less sweet and better quality, though I honestly didn't find such a big difference. I should have compared the two versions at the same time to recognize the difference, because I don't have a keen sense of taste.

Here is the TV ad that was running last autumn, featuring Jun Matsumoto, a member of very popular boy idol group Arashi.　In this ad, Matsu-jun is grown-up Peter Pan driving a car. Tinkerbell says "You look so grown-up today," and Peter replies, "Listen, nowadays even Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato grow up. There's no fighting against the trend of the times."

You are right, Peter. In Japan where the birth-rate is declining, developing products appealing to adults is an important survival strategy for any companies. Good for me!

By the way, the cookie & cream version, bitter chocolate-flavored cookies coated with white chocolate, is also very yummy. I really like it. Must try!

はい、ここからは日本語で。

「きのこの山」と「たけのこの里」は、私が子どものころから大好きなお菓子です。両方好きですが、「たけのこの里」のほうが好きかな。

きのこ 　mushrooms
たけのこ　　bamboo shoot
里　 さと　　　village
お菓子　　おかし　　treat
両方　　りょうほう　　both

たけのこの里は、お菓子メーカーの明治が1979年に発売しました。それ以来日本ではずっと人気なんですよ。

明治　　めいじ　　name of the company
発売　　はつばい　　put on sale
それ以来　　（それ）いらい　　since then
ずっと　＝　いつも
人気　　にんき　　popular

箱を開けると、小さいたけのこの形のクッキーが３２から３５個入っています。かわいいでしょ。

箱　　はこ　　box
開ける　　あける　　to open
形　　かたち　　shape
個　　こ　　piece

去年の秋には「大人のきのこの山」「大人のたけのこの里」が出ましたよ。

去年　　きょねん　　last year
大人　　おとな　　adults
出る　　でる　　to be released

アイドルグループ嵐の松本潤さんがコマーシャルに出ていました。大人になったピーターパンを演じていました。

嵐　　あらし　　name of the boy idol group
松本潤　　まつもと　じゅん　　member of Arashi
演じる　　えんじる　　to play a role

「大人のたけのこの里」は、甘さ控えめで、ちょっと高級なチョコレートを使っているそうです。

甘さ　　あまさ　　sweetness
控え目　　ひかえめ　　mild
高級　　こうきゅう　　high quality　　

そうそう、クッキー＆クリームバージョンもありますよ。チョコレートクッキーにホワイトチョコレートの組み合わせです。　これもおいしい。試してみて！

組み合わせ　　くみあわせ　　combination
試す　　ためす　　to try