Many foreigners visiting Japan enjoy Japanese sweets. When we think of wagashi, it is easy to imagine sweet wagashi such as Dorayaki and Daifuku. Compared to such sweet wagashi, the popularity of “sembe” (rice crackers), which are healthier, is also increasing.
In addition, sembe has a long shelf life, making it an ideal souvenir.
In this issue, we would like to introduce eight recommended rice crackers available in Japan. Please take a look at them to help you choose the best souvenirs.
Kameda Seika| Kameda no Magari Senbei 16 pieces
Kameda’s Magari Senbei is a rice cracker with a characteristic handmade shape. The raw material used is domestically produced Uruchi rice. Among them, 50% are made from rice grown in Niigata Prefecture. The rice crackers are baked using the open-flame baking method, which brings out the full savory flavor. The crispy and light texture of this soft rice cracker is also attractive.
<Basic Information＞
Name: 16 pieces Kameda’s Magarisenbei
Selling company: Kameda Seika Co.
Suggested retail price: 226 yen (tax included)
Amanoya | Kabukiage 11 pieces
Kabukiage is a long-selling product that has been loved for more than 60 years since it was first sold in 1960; each rice cracker is decorated with the Kabuki family crest and flavored with Amanoya’s secret sweet soy sauce sauce. The wrapping bag of the rice cracker incorporates the pattern of the formal curtain used in Kabuki, helping to convey the two traditional Japanese cultures of Kabuki and rice crackers.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Kabukiage
Sales company: Amanoya Co.
Suggested retail price: 308 yen (including tax)
Kameda Seika | Happy Turn 96g
Happy Turn is a popular series that began selling in 1976. It was developed with the wish that happiness (Happy) would return (turn) to customers at a time when Japan was in the midst of a recession due to the first oil crisis. The sweet and sour Happy Powder is sprinkled around the light texture of the rice cracker, making it a soft rice cracker with an addictive taste.
<Basic Information＞
Name: 96g Happy Turn
Sales company: Kameda Seika Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 280 yen (including tax)
Kuriyama Rice Crackers| Ba-u-kake 5 kinds assortment 36 pieces
Ba-ka-ke is a rice cracker with an exquisite texture that is not too soft and addictive. The shape of the Bakake is designed to resemble the shape of rice, the raw material of Bakake, so that it is easy to eat even with one hand. The assortment includes five flavors: the standard aonori soy sauce and sesame fried soy sauce flavors, as well as cheese, sweet curry, and corn potage flavors. Individually packaged, they are easy to store and can be eaten little by little.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Bakake Assortment
Distributor: Kuriyama Rice Cracker Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 440 yen (including tax)
Sanko Seika | Yuki-no-Yado Salad 20 pieces
Yuki-no-Yado is a sembei with the perfect harmony of mild sweetness and saltiness. The salt-flavored salad rice cracker is topped with mild sugar molasses with fresh Hokkaido cream. The moderate saltiness enhances the sweetness of the molasses. The crackers are baked in a huge baking kiln with high heat to achieve a crispy and soft texture.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Yukino Yado Salad (20 pieces)
Sales company: Sanko Seika Co.
Suggested retail price: 260 yen (tax included)
Kameda Seika | Kameda’s Curry Sen (15 pieces)
Kameda’s Curry Sen is a rice cracker with the nostalgic flavor of a candy bar. It is made with authentic Indian-style spices that have mastered the aroma, and the tangy spice flavor will whet your appetite. The crispy and light texture is also appealing and has an addictive simplicity. Since they are not individually wrapped, it is recommended to eat them up as soon as possible after opening the package.
<Basic Information＞
Name: 15 pieces of KAMEDA’s curry sen
Selling company: Kameda Seika Co.
Suggested retail price: 226 yen (tax included)
Echigo Seika – Fluffy Meijin Kinako Mochi 75g
Fluffy Meijin Kinako Mochi is a rice cracker with a light, fluffy melt-in-your-mouth texture and a savory kinako flavor. Kinako (soybean flour) made from Hokkaido soybeans is combined with the fluffy texture of a rice cracker made from 100% domestic glutinous rice, resulting in a refined taste.
Funwari Meijin Kinako Mochi is a popular product supported by people of all ages because of its fluffy texture.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Funwari Meijin Kinako Mochi
Sales company: Echigo Seika Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 257 yen (tax included)
KAMEDA SEIKA | KAMEDA’s Kaki no Tane 180g
Kaki-no-tane by Kameda is a product that offers a perfect balance between the crispy texture of kaki-no-tane and peanuts. It will serve not only as a snack, but also as a snack when drinking alcohol.
Kaki-no-tane is made to be about 1.6 mm thin, and its crispy texture is maintained by artisanal techniques, such as adjusting the moisture content according to seasonal changes. In addition to the standard flavors, wasabi, plum, and salt flavors are also available.
<Basic Information＞
Name: 180g Kaki-no-tane (KAMEDA’s persimmon seeds) 6-pack
Selling company: Kameda Seika Co.
Suggested retail price: 330 yen (tax included)
Conclusion
In this article, we introduced eight recommended rice crackers available in Japan. All of the rice crackers are products that can be easily obtained at supermarkets and convenience stores. Many of the products are divided into small portions, making them easy to distribute as souvenirs.
We hope you will try to buy some sembe as a souvenir when you visit Japan.
