Pocky has a few approaches to summer 2017. The first is a campaign where the time-honored snack comes in limited-edition wrappers featuring 27 different designs, which can also activate various augmented reality features on a special smartphone app. Sounds complicated! Glico, which makes Pocky, is urging customers to chill these sticks in ice before eating. If that floats your boat, go nuts.

Far more interesting for us, though, is a new variety of Pocky called Colorful Shower. This new iteration features the familiar pretzel stick coated in a white, lemon-cream flavored frosting encrusted with rainbow-colored candies. This limited-edition of Pocky (¥150 for a box with two packs) is available in convenience stores nationwide.

The candy in the frosting doesn't really add much to the snack, save an extra crackle here and there. But that's the only drawback, as the rest of this special Pocky flavor delivers. In particular, the lemon cream offers a nice, zesty punch that blends well with the chocolate flavor of the frosting. It's a pleasant combination, and seems built for the summer season. You might try chilling it for extra flavor.