I know what Pocky is!
For years I've seen references to Japanese snack Pocky on the web. It's almost a net-meme itself, although I'm not sure why. I have probably most often bumped into it on pages devoted to Engrish, the misuse of English in Japanese or other Asian packaging, advertising, signage or clothing embellishment (often with hilarious results). I am not sure "Pocky" is really Engrish, though, because it's hardly a commonly-used English word and may be more likely a made-up, intentionally-English-sounding word to the Japanese; "Pocky" doesn't sound terribly Japanese, does it?
Anyway, my friend "Amelie", who is teaching English in Japan, sent a very thoughtful and sweet package of gifts, goodies and postcards to her friends back here, and wasn't I tickled when one of them was a box of Pocky! Finally, I'd get to find out what Pocky tasted like.
(Mojo was mighty curious, too.)
And I did. And I'm not telling what it is. You'll either have to go to Japan or get your own expatriate friend to find out :) But it is delicious.
Thanks, Amelie!
ronnie
posted by ronnie at
7:48 p.m.
2 Comments:
Aww. One of my best friends was an American expat living in Japan and when he'd come back to the States he'd bring odd things like that with him. He'd bring more elaborate cultural items too, sometimes, but fortunately he was a pop culture expert and knew that the little things can be much more revelatory than the major items. He drowned in a scuba diving accident in Guam about a year and a half ago and I continue to miss him, but this is more of a warm little reminder than a cause for sadness. (Hope she also sent some of those weird crackers with whole dried fish -- heads and all -- mixed in!)
Hi Mike,
Glad it brought back some good memories of your friend.
No fish crackers, I'm afraid, but she did send the Picola "Green Tea snacks" you see in the photo, which taste incredibly like a powerful kick of green tea. She also sent fans, chopsticks and an absolutely charming origami Japanese lady.
There's also a box of something labeled entirely in Japanese - no English at all - that I haven't worked up the courage to open yet. It has a parrot on the box. Maybe it's weird crackers with whole dried parrots -- beaks and all -- mixed in!
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