PHOTO BY JANELLE JONES
Since the Tokyo Banana debuted in 1991, the banana cream–filled yellow sponge cake has reigned supreme as the souvenir to pick up at railway stations, malls, and airports across Japan. The cartoonish snack stands as the culinary embodiment of the country’s kawaii
culture of cuteness, and it incites feverish loyalty: According to the Tokyo Banana company, if all the cakes sold in one year were linked end to end, the chain would extend all the way from Tokyo to New York City. Aside from the original banana-cream flavor, other varieties are available seasonally or at specific retailers. Look for Hello Kitty–stamped apple cakes, the banana-yogurt-cream-filled Tokyo Banana Panda (which celebrates Ueno Zoo resident Xiang Xiang), and the Tokyo Banana Racco (pictured), which is filled with coffee-milk cream and designed to look like a cuddly sea otter. From $4.50 for a four-pack, tokyobanana.jp
