"It's That Addictive": Japanese Entrepreneur Falls In Love With Pani Puri, Considers Opening A Shop

A Japanese woman's love for pani puri has taken social media by storm, sparking talks about Indian flavours and a possible business venture. Posting on X, a woman named Hermes shared how obsessed she has become with the popular Indian street snack. She said she enjoys it so much that she's now thinking about opening a small pani puri shop where people can grab a bite on the go.

Her husband, who usually avoids unfamiliar foods, has also come around. She says he now keeps thinking about pani puri, calling it surprisingly addictive. Hermes herself eats it about twice a week and has even bought a DIY kit to make it at home.

"I'm so hooked on pani puri that I'm seriously thinking about starting my own pani puri shop where you can casually eat and walk around. Even my husband, who hates exotic food, is like, "I might be hooked too, I keep thinking about pani puri right away"—it's that addictive... I'm eating it about twice a week, and I even bought a pani puri kit lol," she wrote on X.

See the post here:

パニプリにハマりすぎて、気軽に食べ歩きできるパニプリ屋でも起業しようかなって真剣に思うくらいハマってる。エキゾチック料理NGな夫すら、「俺ハマったかもしれん、パニプリのことをすぐ考えてしまう」と言うくらい中毒性ある、、週2くらいで食べてるし、パニプリキットも買った笑 pic.twitter.com/LXqtiklwS6

— エルメス (@hermes_ooo) April 20, 2026

She also spoke about visiting local eateries alone to enjoy the snack, sometimes finding herself the only Japanese customer there. In another post, she described quietly eating pani puri while surrounded by busy food stalls. "It's delicious! I regret having lived nearly 40 years without knowing about it, lol. It's just one of those unforgettable flavors, isn't it...? In central Tokyo, standing and eating alone as a woman feels like too high a hurdle, it doesn't seem casual at all," she remarked.

Her posts quickly caught attention online, with many Indians marvelling at her choice. Some people also suggested she try different versions of the snack, like Kolkata's phuchka or other regional variations, each known for its unique flavour.

One user wrote, "It was heartening to see that foreigners like pani puri just as much as we Indians do." Another commented, "If you're in Mumbai, try Sev Puri, and if you ever visit Kolkata (Bengal), try Puchka (which is the Bengali version of Pani Puri)."

"I get it! I went through a phase where I was totally hooked on pani puri too! I'd zoom in endlessly on Google Maps for Tokyo, marking shops that had it, and I was desperate to figure out the wild range of flavors. There are some really tasty spots and others that aren't so much, which just made me even more curious," added a third. 

Pani puri, also called gol gappa and puchka, is one of the most enjoyed street foods in India. The snack is loved for its mix of crunchy shells, tangy water, chutneys, and spiced fillings all packed into one bite.