I love chocolate — from the expensive European brands to the cheap and cheerful candy bars of my childhood. But if there’s one thing that has a special place in my heart, it’s Japanese chocolate: it’s a unique blend of artisan chocolatier flavors and fun gimmicky preparation.

Here’s my top five list of Japanese-style chocolate that you can find in local specialty shops and candy stores.

Royce Nama Choco

Royce is a Japanese chocolatier that specializes in luxurious fresh chocolate with flavors such as champagne and strawberry, that melts easily in Manila’s tropical heat — which is why their boutiques in Greenbelt 5, Rockwell, and Trinoma always pack your purchases in dry ice for you to carry home. At around PhP 500 a box it’s a bit pricey — but you get what you pay for in quality, and if you’re looking for something extra special as a present then you can’t go wrong with Royce.

Meiji Melty Kiss

Melty Kiss if an affordable alternative to Royce, at just one-fifth the price and easily available at SM Department Store. It may be cheap but the quality is definitely top-notch, with a rich undertone of chocolate highlighted by dark rum, strawberry, and vanilla bean flavors (in their limited-edition variants). My personal favorites are the chocolat and gold bean versions, with the former featuring a light mousse texture while the latter has a thick and hearty Venezuelan chocolate flavor.

Glico Pocky

These chocolate-covered pretzel sticks have a cult following all over the world, thanks in part to their numerous cameos on Japanese films, drama, and anime series. At just PhP 80 pesos for the Japanese import and PhP 40 for the Thai variant (available in supermarkets and convenience stores), they’re within reach of everybody — even those with small allowances. Pocky also comes in a mind-boggling array of other flavors, from green tea and strawberry to banana and almond nut.

Meiji Dark Chocolate

Another simple pleasure we discovered deep in the caverns of SM Department Store is Meiji Dark Chocolate. For those times when milk chocolate is just too sweet, we recommend this lush, rich, and just plain delicious dark chocolate bar from Meiji. At just PhP 40 per bar you can stock up on these treats and stash them in your office drawer for emergencies — like when you need a pick-me-up after your boss just trashed your latest proposal (I talk as if I know these things >.>).

Morinaga Milk Chocolate

Last but not least is Morinaga Milk. Priced just like their more well-known competitors Meiji, and a bit difficult to find (AFAIK only Japanese groceries carry this brand), Morinaga Milk is nevertheless worth the effort to find, as it is rich and creamy without being overly sweet like their western counterparts (Hersheys and Cadbury Dairy Milk come to mind). Just like Pocky, Morinaga Milk has achieved cult status thanks to being featured in movies and drama shows — particularly those featuring Johnny’s Entertainment boys >.>