Glico Pia East — Attraction in Kitamoto

Pocky has been one of my favorite snacks for a long time. I first tasted Pocky at a hostess bar in Tokyo about thirty years ago.

The hostess served us our Suntory whiskey and offered Pocky sticks as a light snack. She was beautiful and extremely classy but it wasn’t her that I fell in love with. It was Pocky, the chocolate covered pretzel stick that I couldn’t get enough of. I must have ate a fifty sticks that night. Since that memorable night, I’ve continued to enjoy Pocky as a guilty pleasure.

Having had such a first encounter, you can imagine my delight at being able to take a tour of the Pocky (Glico) factory in Saitama prefecture. It was nice to learn more about the product and understand the manufacturing process.

The factory tour is free but reservations...

Glico factory features both Picky and Pretz. Pocky is something all kids grew up eating as a child in Japan and is very nostalgic. The tour starts off with interactive quiz game. You’ll be asked 7 random questions regarding the company. There is no prize at the end but it was educational and fun. Afterwards, you’ll move to the factory area where Pocky and Pretz are made. Each process was not only written in Japanese but also in English. The entire tour smelled so yummy. It’s definitely a once in a lifetime experience! Don’t forget to swing by the small souvenir shop as well! I recommend calling before going here since they close down for school...

You have to book months in advance to secure a place on the FREE factory tours, but it is well worth the effort. The tour is around 70 minutes long and at the end you can make your own Pocky at a small cost. The entrance hall has quite a futuristic feel to it. The staff are very friendly. The tour includes an interactive game which the kids loved. We had to cancel our first appointment, but they were very accommodating in rescheduling. If you weren't already, you'll be a big Glico fan...