This week I’ve been finishing off the candies that the Japanese tourists gave to me for tourguiding them around Toronto before we all flew to Vancouver on July 5. I’ve never had candies quite like this before, but only the first package has English on it so the second package remains a mystery. One thing I appreciate about the Japanese is the care they take for presentation (eg., sushi), and these little boxes of confection are no exception:

“Please enjoy traditional taste of KYOTO.” *wink* (click on the pic for text notes)

When I first saw the “DO NOT EAT” silica packet included in the plastic packets I wondered if the chalky contents were edible. It looks like chalk, has a texture like chalk, and yes, tastes a bit like chalk. Not terribly so, but make sure you’re not thirsty when you dig in.