The capricious tastes of consumers have seen food fads come and go. Remember the short-lived nata de coco boom or Cinnabon craze of last year? Now depachika are the centers of gourmet attention, selling a whole range of foods, among them some old favorites, but also many new items aiming to become the next big thing.
These are the bestselling showcase products at the food sections of major department stores in Tokyo:
* Imo-kintsuba from Mangando at Daimaru (100 yen a piece): Between 5,000 and 6,000 pieces of this sweet potato-based wagashi (Japanese-style confection) are sold daily, and you can buy them when they're freshly made. Customers wait in a long queue while watching them being prepared. Their popularity lies in the "unusual taste and the sugary scent of sweet potato," says a spokesman.