Following the White Tiger Lunch Box introduced recently, here is another souvenir from Izu Animal Kingdom. As an animal-themed park, its gift shop carries many related products. The one that especially caught my eye was this “Animal Park Animal Land Friendly Club” assortment. Its package looks as though it came straight from Japan’s Showa era. My children had just spent the day meeting many animals, so the design was especially powerful. We wanted something that seemed difficult to find anywhere else, so we bought it at the gift shop beside the Animal Kingdom exit, the same place as before.
Animal Park Animal Land Friendly Club by Fujiboshi
A box of twelve costs ¥700. 
The Showa-style illustration is irresistible! This kind of nostalgic package makes my heart leap. The sample display showed that the manju inside are shaped like different animals, which looked great fun. Twelve cakes for ¥700 is inexpensive too, so I simply could not leave without them (^^) However, the words “Izu Animal Kingdom” at the top left are added as a sticker, so this may not be an entirely exclusive product. 
The best-before date is printed on the back; mine was about two months after purchase. 
I removed the wrapping paper. Unfortunately, the box beneath it is plain white. 
The manju inside are vacuum-sealed in plastic. 
Each piece has its own retro illustrated wrapper. There are two wrapper borders, one green and one red. I did not know which animal would appear, so I opened a green packet first. 
It was a pig. The shape is a little subtle, but the silhouette and nose are unmistakably porcine (^^)
Most importantly, how does Animal Park Animal Land Friendly Club taste?
Let’s try it. It resembles Tokyo’s famous Hiyoko sweet! The crumbly white bean paste is smooth and seems milkier than Hiyoko. The sweetness is just right, and it was particularly enjoyable with a glass of milk (^^) Next, I opened a red packet. 
This one appears to be a rabbit seen from above. It is adorable. My child was so eager to learn which animal was in every packet that they kept opening new ones before finishing the sweets already in hand (laughs). I understand the feeling, but when the packets are opened one after another, we cannot eat quickly enough… In the end we opened them all and discovered three animal designs, packed at random. The third animal was a bear. 
The wrapper color does not determine the animal, so even adults become excited wondering what will appear next. The experience is fun and the manju taste good. Both the retro package and the animal shapes are so cute that this would make an excellent souvenir for family or coworkers (^｡^) Thank you for the treat!
Animal Park Animal Land Friendly Club Product Info, Expiration Date, Manufacturer
| Product Name | Animal Park Animal Land Friendly Club |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer / Seller | Fujiboshi Co., Ltd. |
| Address | 18-4 Nishinaka, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Expiration Date | Approximately 2 months |
| Place of Purchase | Izu Animal Kingdom |
| Price | ¥700 |
