This is the YBC Picola Banana, a variant featuring a banana-flavoured cream made using powder derived from Banana no Ōsama Kanjuku Ō, produced by Sumifru.

Sumifru pioneered high-altitude banana cultivation in 1972 in pursuit of the “tastiest bananas,” deeming these fruits worthy of the title “King.” Initially grown in limited quantities, these bananas became known among enthusiasts for their rarity and rich, complex flavour.

Each box contained two foil-sealed bags, with five sticks per bag.

Each stick measured approximately 12 cm in length and 1 cm in diameter. The wafer was a vivid yellow, while the cream filling was a pale pastel yellow.

On tasting chilled as recommended, the wafer offered a crisp, delicate texture that gave way to a contrastingly firmer and cooler banana cream. The flavour was remarkably vivid—evoking the sensation of ripe puréed banana, with not only its full-bodied sweetness but also a faint trace of fresh acidity, lending a natural, tropical profile. The wafer itself contributed little in terms of flavour but provides a light, textural counterpoint to the cream. The cream alone delivered on the flavour promise, its smooth texture and aromatic intensity sustaining the banana character through to the finish. As the wafer dissolved, the lingering banana fragrance remained on the palate, inviting the next bite.

This YBC Picola Banana contained 49 g (28.5 g x 2 bags). It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2025.