Amano Freeze-Dry Station's Japanese Foods - Simple, Tasty Souvenirs!

Easily Portable Freeze-Dry Products

Freeze-dry products are made from foods that have been rapidly frozen and vacuum-dried. These products are light and compact due to being in a dried state and are known to have little change in flavor, texture, and nutritional value.

They are easily made, just by pouring hot water over them, so they’re useful in any type of situation - whether it be eating at your accommodations or to be brought home as a souvenir.

At Amano Freeze-Dry Station Tokyo, located right by Tokyo Station, the storefront is lined with 100 varieties of various freeze-dried products such as miso soup, pasta, and curry.

In this article, we’ll introduce recommended products that are sold at the store.

We Recommend Miso Soup!

All freeze-dried products that line the shelves of the store are Amano Foods brand products. We’ll begin from the freeze-dried miso soup from this brand.

This product is made with in a particular way original to Amano Foods in order to offer delicious miso soup to customers.

The Reason Amano Foods Miso Soup is Delicious

There are two main features to this Amano Foods product. The first is that the dashi stock and miso are made to suit its ingredients, resulting in several types of miso blends being used.

Another aspect is how the soup is cooked before it is freeze-dried. It is made with time and effort so that you can experience the same flavor and feeling as if it were freshly made at home once it has returned to its liquid form.

For example, there are six types of eggplant miso soups. All of these products vary in their cooking methods and the type of miso used.

The Regular Eggplant Miso Soup (bottom middle of the photo) (108 yen plus tax), which has been fried without batter to retain its texture, and the Savory Eggplant Miso Soup (top left of the photo) (140 yen plus tax), made so that you can taste the fragrant smell of roasted eggplants, vary in the way the eggplants have been cooked.

These special aspects will change depending on the product. The Haccho Miso Roasted Eggplants (top middle of the photo) (140 yen plus tax), from which you can enjoy the features of the miso, and Gold Dashi Stock Roasted Eggplants (top right of the photo) (118 yen plus tax), which has dashi stock as the deciding factor, are some examples. By all means, feel free to ask the staff questions to find the right product for you.

Popular Freeze-Dried Products That Can Also Be Staple Foods

1. 3 Cheese Cream Pasta Popular with Light Eaters

A product that light eaters often buy is the Three Cheese Cream Pasta (216 yen plus tax) pictured in the middle of the photo. Once you’ve emptied the contents into a cup, pour in 100ml of hot water, then mix for 60 seconds. Once you do so, you’ll immediately have genuine short pasta!

The rich flavor of the cheese – gorgonzola, parmesan, and gouda – have strongly melded into the short pasta, giving it a luxurious flavor. Though the portion is small, it will satisfy you.

It’s a healthy meal with just 147 calories, so how about making it into a light meal together with salad?

2. Filling Vegetable and Chicken Curry

The Filling Vegetable and Chicken Curry (280 yen plus tax) is a favorite among the staff. Pour hot water and mix for 60 seconds. In a blink of an eye, broccoli, red bell peppers, fried eggplant, and chicken appeared! It’s a classic curry that will make you think, “I want to eat it again!” with a slightly tingling, spicy flavor.

The curry is scrumptious with rice, but is also great on a simple bread roll.

The product shown here is part of the Field Curry series which includes other varieties like the Ground Soybean and Tomato Curry, also 280 yen plus tax.

The star feature of the Field Curry series is definitely its curry sauce. Vegetables and fruits such as tomato, celery, and apples, including the skins and calyx, are completely ground together until smooth and then mixed together.

3. Nyumen Series: Popular with International Tourists

The Nyumen series (237 yen plus tax) only contains 50 – 70 calories. From the series, you can choose based on your preferences in dashi stock and ingredients with products such as the Nyumen Mild Chicken Stock or the Nyumen Five-Type Vegetable.

Nyumen is a Japanese dish of somen noodles cooked in a broth. It seems there are many that buy this series for when they feel hungry late into the night, like after hitting the bars. It’s also a popular product with international visitors.

How to Make Freeze-Dried Products

The way you make freeze-dried products is really simple. All you have to do is place the freeze-dried product in a cup, pour in the required amount of hot water, and mix.

You can also ask to be given a special cup, spoon, and hot water at the time of your purchase. It’s convenient as an easy meal for when you feel a bit hungry for when you return to your accommodations or for when you’re on the move on the bullet train by preparing it beforehand with hot water.

Products purchased at Amano Freeze-Dry Station can be eaten at the free food area located inside KITTE GRANCHE on the first underground floor of the commercial facility KITTE.

The stores are connected by an underground passageway, so it would be great to eat at KITTE GRANCHE after filling your cup with hot water at the station.

A Cute Souvenir Bag

Two types of kinchaku-bukuro (*1), available in large and small sizes, are sold to be used for souvenirs. The small size is 90 yen (plus tax) and holds eight freeze-dried products inside. The large size is 120 yen (plus tax) and holds twelve products inside.

You can choose your favorite products out of the 100 types of freeze-dried products available in the store to fill the capacity of the bag. Even after everything has been eaten, it can also be used as a mini bag.

However, several countries including the United States of America, Canada, and Australia have carry-on restrictions, so it’s important to be cautious. For details, please check the official websites of your country’s embassy.

* Pouch designs may change in the future.
*1 Kinchaku-bukuro: a pouch or bag used for storing and carrying small items.

Freeze-Dried Products Are Super Useful for Travelers!

Freeze-dried products can also be useful for travelers during their stay. For example, you may want to eat a light meal because you’re feeling bloated from jet lag or continuously eating out, or perhaps you're feeling chilled and want something to warm you up while on the bullet train. Plus, they are just a convenient way to enjoy some simple, delicious Japanese food.

Why not visit the station to buy these products for a meal or for souvenirs?

Amano Freeze Dry Station

2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005

Made in cooperation with: Asahi Group Foods, Ltd., Amano Freeze-Dry Station Tokyo