Japan is known for its seasonally flavored foods. Swing by your local konbini in the fall and you¡¯re likely to encounter limited-edition beverages, snacks and candies that weren¡¯t on the shelves a few months earlier. ?Some companies pump out more flavors than others, with Nestle¡¯s Kit Kat chocolates alone having?. This summer, manufacturers are debuting a number of interesting flavors to entice convenience store shoppers.

  • As if summer needs to be any hotter, Tohato will begin selling? in late July. We¡¯re excited about this one, despite the sinister face on the bag. The company will also be debuting ?and ,?which arrive in Japan this month.

  • A few weeks ago, we reported on?, which hit the shelves Monday.

  • More directly on the beverage front is?. Best served cold, this carbonated coffee hopes to refresh and awaken those gulping it down on a hot summer afternoon.?(Note: If you preferred your fizzy coffee hand-poured, Excelsior Caff¨¦ has begun offering a ¡±,¡°?which?combines Perrier sparkling water with the chain¡¯s espresso over ice.)

  • The average?konbini?has a pretty impressive array of instant noodles, but how many of them would satisfy a hankering for Italian??Maruka Foods is now selling?, which combines the convenience of instant noodles with the?Italian pasta sauce made form garlic, oil and chillies.

  • A few weeks back, . This seems like it could be a crowd-pleaser, with the soothing mint and cooling yogurt making for a perfect way to fend off afternoon drowsiness during the dog days.

  • For dessert, check out Kabaya¡¯s ??that fizzes just like the soda pop.