You might be referring to a popular street food snack in Japan called the “10 Yen Cheese Coin”.
A 10-yen coin custard-filled pancake : r/food]
Here’s a breakdown of what that entails:
- Appearance and Taste: It’s a waffle-like bread, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, shaped like a 10 yen coin. It’s typically filled with a generous amount of stretchy, melted mozzarella cheese. The combination offers a delightful mix of salty cheese and slightly sweet, crispy dough.
- Origin and Popularity: This snack is a take on a popular Korean food trend of cheesy 10-won coins. It has gained considerable popularity in Japan, especially in places like Tokyo (Shibuya), Osaka (Dotonbori), and Okinawa.
- Cost and Availability: Despite its 10 yen coin shape, it typically costs around ¥500 (approximately $3.50 USD). You can find these at various locations including Donki (Don Quijote) and Dotonbori in Osaka.
Important Note: The snack is a novelty food item and not an actual 10 yen coin made of cheese. The term “10 yen cheese coin” refers to its shape and not its monetary value.
While the snack’s main draw is the cheese, some vendors also offer sweet flavors like custard, chocolate, and green tea custard.
How much is the 10 yen cheese?
Great question! We stumbled upon it in Tokyo. This usually costs 500 yen 💴, not 10 yen!
Is a 10-yen coin worth anything?
Good point! A 1981 bronze Japanese 10 yen piece is worth less than $1 (USD) today (08/09/2025). There are VERY FEW 10 yen pieces from 1951 – current that are worth more than that. They are ALL VERY COMMON and still in circulation. Don’t take everything you read on ANY site like this to be 100% true or accurate.
What does 10 yen cheese coin taste like?
Great question! It tastes like pancake with cheese in it. It’s sweet and savory i actually liked it.