A few of my overdue Japanese souvenirs.

They should have been distributed or shared long time ago. Now though, these souvenirs that I got from Japan sometime mid-January this year have expired. Well, this is 'the thing' with food souvenirs. They are generally bought for friends and relatives back home as a kind of customary gifts. But when meetups are delayed or postponed for one reason or another, food souvenirs like these never get to be given away:( And as for Japanese food souvenirs, they have the tendency to expire within months of purchase. So, perhaps I should go get non-food items as souvenirs instead next time. But unfortunately food souvenirs in Japan are really easy to find. They are sold almost anywhere, everywhere... In my short trip in Nagoya and Nagano, I saw plenty of food souvenirs, all neatly packed, sold in convenient stores of neighborhood train stations. It was rather odd to me at first because I don't really see souvenirs sold in residential areas in other countries. But in Japan, they do, and after getting used to it, I found it really convenient for visitors like me who get stuck in residential areas pretty much during their visit in the country.


On the left though is a picture of a packet of wasabi flavored potato chips. I got this potato chips from Hakuba in Nagano where wasabi farms are abundant. Though I may be pretty happy with the fact that the potato chips survived the flight, yet it saddened me to find out that the potato chips lasted only up till May 6th this year. Kenji and I didn't realize it has expired, not until about 1.5 weeks ago (only!). But even then, it didn't stop us from opening it up and giving it a try in our Singapore flat (the first time we tried this potato chips was when we were on our way home, walking in the snow in Hakuba Town). The wasabi mayo potato chips tasted as good as before. In summer Singapore or winter Hakuba, an overdue chips or not, the wasabi mayo potato chips makes no difference to me. Perhaps next time for my dear friends... Before expiry dates, that is.