Long-Selling Sweet Senbei Rice Crackers to Try
As you may already know, together with Okaki and Arare, “Senbei (煎餅)” is one of the traditional Japanese rice crackers.
Traditionally, Senbei is made of non-glutinous rice called “Uruchi Mai (うるち米)” that has been pounded into a paste, formed into a thin round shape, and baked or grilled without using oil.
Traditional Senbei is mostly flavored with soy sauce or salt, but in modern times some Senbei varieties come in sweet flavors.
When I think of such sweet Senbei, what comes to my mind right away is “Yuki no Yado (雪の宿)” produced and sold by Sanko Seika (Confectionery) and “Pota Pota Yaki (ぽたぽた焼)” from Kameda Seika.
The Best Sweet Senbei Rice Crackers
Yuki no Yado and Pota Pota Yaki are classic sweet Senbei products that have long been loved by Japanese people of all generations.
And they are especially recommended for Senbei beginners because in addition to having a gentle sweetness both have a nice melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Thus, today let me introduce the Yuki no Yado Senbei and the Pota Pota Yaki Senbei for those who are not familiar with Japanese rice crackers.
Sanko Seika Yuki no Yado
First off, Yuki no Yado is one of the best-selling Senbei products in Japan, which was introduced by Sanko Seika Confectionery in 1977. This light crispy Senbei has 2 different tastes in it.
The rice cracker itself is lightly salted, while the white spots on the surface are milky sweet icing containing fresh cream from Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan.
The combination of the rice cracker’s saltiness and savoriness and the icing’s milky sweetness works very well, making the snack an addictive treat.
Kameda Seika Pota Pota Yaki
Pota Pota Yaki is also one of the standard Senbei crackers that are widely enjoyed in Japan, which was first released in 1986 by Kameda Seika Confectionery.
In addition to having a pleasant crispy texture, this Senbei is characterized by the thick gently sweet soy sauce applied on the surface.
The sauce on the surface is totally dry so it doesn’t bother you. When I was small, Pota Pota Yaki was one of my favorite Senbei.
