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Living in Japan, we’ve been kind of spoiled by all the special Kit Kat flavors the country gets. We love a sweet snack as much as anyone, but when almost every region of Japan has its own version of the chocolate wafers, it takes something a little more unusual than matcha green tea Kit Kats to really grab our attention (not that those don’t taste delicious, of course).

So Nestlé Japan’s latest plan is to give us not just something to munch on, but a cool papercraft kit too, with this special Kit Kat bundle that also lets you build a model train.

Although the combination of candy and toys seems like it should be a two-pronged attack on our inner child’s biggest weak points, the Kit Kats in the special package are actually part of the brand’s Adult Sweetness line, which Nestlé bills as being better suited for mature chocolate lovers. To be honest, though, the Kit Kats themselves feel like they’re just along for the ride in this combo pack.

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The real star of the packages is the paper model of the D51 498 steam locomotive, which had its glory days in the 1940s and ‘50s. With a price of 1,080 yen (US$9.90) for the whole set, you might not be expecting too much from the model, but we opened the box to find a large array of parts and a detailed instruction sheet inside.

▼ And the Kit Kats, of course

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We had a slight problem here, though. Being in possession of a fistful of candy sometimes sends us into a sugar-blinded feeding frenzy, and we were a little concerned that if we had a canister of glue in arm’s reach, we might mistake it for a tub of marshmallow cream and eat it along with our Kit Kats. Thankfully, though, the papercraft kit doesn’t require glue, tape, or any other sort of adhesives or bonding agents. You don’t even need scissors to put the thing together.

▼ Which is probably for the best, since we try to keep sharp objects away from our Japanese-language correspondent Mr. Sato

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The flipside to this tool-free assembly, though, is that the process for making the locomotive is pretty complicated. There are several minute steps to be followed, and it’s also important to keep the front and back sides of each piece aligned properly. Taking the time to be extra careful, we needed about 20 minutes from start to finish.

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▼ Done!

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The completed product actually looks pretty cool, and commands enough presence that for a few moments, we actually forgot that it came with a bag of Kit Kats. Lacking an actual engine, the locomotive can’t actually move. That’s not to say it doesn’t serve any function, though. At the rear of the car, there’s a compartment where the coal would be piled on a real steam engine, and it’s actually just the right size to fit a Kit Kat into.

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Since the set only comes with so many Kit Kats, eventually the space will be empty again. Until then, though, since the papercraft locomotive doesn’t need any of its own, you’ve got a handy spot to store some fuel for yourself.

Photos: RocketNews24
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