Kanro “Marugoto Shibotta Ringo Nodo Ame” Review: A Candy Filled with My Wife’s Gentle Kindness

Last weekend, something special happened. My wife’s sister’s baby girl—now three months old—had grown so much that we couldn’t resist making a trip from Sendai to Tokyo by bullet train to finally meet her. Three months is a precious stage of growth, and when we finally saw her, she was the epitome of cuteness. I mean, it was one of those “Are you an actual angel?” moments.

But of course, the joy didn’t come without a price. Somewhere on our way back, we managed to catch a cold—both my wife and I—and found ourselves dealing with sore throats and relentless coughing for days. Thankfully, we didn’t have a fever, but man, having a sore throat can really bring down your spirits.

One day, while I was out and about, I found myself rummaging through my bag when something small and unfamiliar caught my eye. “What’s this?” I thought as I pulled out a tiny package. It was none other than the “Kanro Marugoto Shibotta Ringo Nodo Ame.” Turns out, my wife had sneakily slipped it into my bag with a quick, “Here, take this with you.” Talk about being considerate! I had to do a little internal fist pump in appreciation.

I unwrapped one right away, and boy, was I surprised by its gentle nature. Unlike your typical throat lozenges that are packed with menthol and hit your throat like an icy punch, this one contains no menthol at all. Instead, it’s all about subtlety—a mellow sweetness that spreads through your mouth like it’s softly saying, “Hey, take it easy. No rush.” This really helps when your throat is irritated. The apple flavor is full-bodied, and by the time I finished the candy, my throat felt just a little bit better, and so did my mood.

The packaging is small and adorable. It’s compact enough that it won’t take up much room in your bag, and the resealable ziplock design is incredibly convenient. With the increasing popularity of smartphone payments, bags are becoming smaller, so these compact-sized candies are a blessing for people like me who want something handy and effective.

In Japan, small packaged snacks like these are increasingly seen on display at convenience stores and other shops. If you have a chance to visit Japan, be sure to check them out at convenience stores and see for yourself!

I checked out some online reviews, and people are loving it. Comments like “The apple sweetness is just right,” and “Perfect for giving to kids” are common. It’s especially popular among those who aren’t fans of the intense coolness that typical lozenges offer. And when I had one of these while nursing my sore throat, it felt like a gentle reminder of my wife’s thoughtfulness. It wasn’t just my throat that was being soothed—my heart was, too.

If you’ve got an itchy, sore throat, I highly recommend giving the “Kanro Marugoto Shibotta Ringo Nodo Ame” a try. It’s more than just a candy—it’s a little bit of warmth and comfort wrapped up in a tiny package.

In the end, I guess catching a cold wasn’t all that bad after all… Well, okay, I’d still rather not go through it again! But I do know one thing for sure—I’ll be picking up something nice for my wife to say “thanks” for this thoughtful little surprise. Maybe next time, I’ll be the one sneaking something sweet into her bag!