Kameda Happy Turn: Rice Crackers with Magic Powder

The prefecture where I live, Niigata (新潟), is Japan’s largest producer of rice, and the rice harvested here has a good reputation nationwide.

Because of that, many confectionery makers here produce rice crackers, and Kameda Seika is one of the representatives whose popular products include this Happy Turn.

Kameda Happy Turn (亀田 ハッピーターン)

Kameda Seika (亀田製菓) introduced this rice cracker in 1976 when the Japanese economy was sluggish due to the effects of the 1973 oil crisis.

So wishing that happiness returns to customers, the maker named the rice snack Happy Turn (ハッピーターン).

Happy Powder

Kameda Happy Turn is a long oval-shaped rice cracker dusted with addicting seasoning powder called Happy Powder, sometimes dubbed Maho no Kona (魔法の粉: meaning magic powder).

Indeed, the powder works like magic. But as mentioned in the article ハッピーターン on Japanese Wikipedia, many people already know it consists of sugar, salt, amino acids, and protein hydrolysate.

Taste 

Many people believe that amino acids in the particles make the taste of Happy Turn complex and addictive.

The taste of the magic powder is hard to describe. But in a word, it is salty-sweet, packed with umami.

Ingredients/Nutrition Facts

For your information, the specific ingredients used in the Happy Turn cracker are as follows. I also list the nutrition facts.

Nutritional Values