Japan’s Best Kept Food Secret

When you think of Japanese food, sushi or ramen instantly come to mind. But the best food discovery I’ve made in Japan is neither of these. In fact, it was actually their take on a western food - the pancake. And when you think of Japanese pancakes, your first thought is probably those super fluffy, thick but delicate, pancakes that jiggle in those instagram videos that people post so much. But I’d like to argue that the best pancakes in Japan (that I’ve ever tasted, anyway) are actually from a convenience store - 7 Eleven to be exact.

Not to be confused with the doriyaki (which is a traditional Japanese pancake stuffed with bean curd), these convenience store pancakes are three layers of small pancakes with butter and syrup stuffed in between. That’s right, you no longer need to buy butter and syrup separately to slather on top of these cakes - this is Japan, folks, not some primitive North American country. Also, having the butter and syrup in between each layer ensures that you have an even distribution with each glorious bite. Each stack of cakes is neatly wrapped in a sealed package ready for you to eat. Not only does that make it less messy to eat, but you don’t even need a knife and fork to enjoy this meal. It takes convenience to a whole new level.

But wait, how good can a convenience store pancake taste, you say? Well, let me tell you, these pancakes taste better, fresher and are fluffier than the ones they “cook” for you at a Denny’s. Stop looking at me with that skeptical face. I don’t know how the Japanese do it. Maybe it’s loaded with preservaties, or maybe it’s good, wholesome ingredients - I don’t know! I just know I can’t get enough of it, and now I’m miles away from the nearest store that sells one. Such is life.

I’ve tried different ways of reconnecting with this experience - I’ve scoured youtube for vloggers raving about these pancakes, but the closest I could find were videos of foreigners pretending to like doriyaki or more videos of convenience store egg sandwiches (which are amazing too, from what I hear). No one seems to be talking about these convenience store pancakes. Could it be Japan’s best kept secret (aside from the underground ninja schools)?

The weird thing is, I very nearly missed out on discovering this in the first place. I just stumbled upon it while I was chatting with my friend at the Nine Hours capsule hotel in Kyoto. A couple of other hotel guests sat down beside us in the lobby and one of them was eating these very cakes. I thought, how unusual - someone eating what seemed to be a pancake sandwich. I can even see the syrup dripping in between the layers. My first thoughts were, ‘what is this witchcraft,’ followed by ‘where can I buy one?’ I can only conclude that this delicacy must’ve come from the convenience store nearby.

I searched and nearly found what I thought to be the pancakes, but turned out to be doriyaki (don’t let these fool you - they are not the same!). So I kept searching and eventually found them. It was as if there was a light coming from above shining down on the pancakes. But I think it was just the flourescent lighting of the store. I wanted to buy two or maybe three - but I decided not to get greedy and exercise some self-discipline so I just got one, since I was not familiar with how filling they are. I finally opened the package, took a bite, and it was like heaven. Each bite delivered the perfect ratio of pancake, syrup and butter. From that day forward, whenever I found myself at a convenience store, I would seek these out. Until one day, I found something better - a salted caramel version! I found this version at a 7 Eleven at a ferry terminal on the way to Naoshima. They must be super rare because I never came across this version again when I came to Tokyo.

Anyways, I just wanted to write about this hidden treasure since I can’t seem to find anyone else talking about it. It would’ve been nice to find out more about this. How are they made? Why are they so good? Who came up with them? Why aren’t they available in North America? I couldn’t find anything. So maybe there are still topics that vloggers haven’t discovered yet. You heard it here first! Next time you’re in Japan, seek these out. Salted caramel convenience store pancakes. You’re welcome.