5 Cheapest Japanese Snacks that are Popular with Children
Have you ever heard that there is a Japanese snack genre that is especially popular with children?
As you may already know, its name is “Dagashi (駄菓子)“, which is the generic name for cheap Japanese snacks and candies.
The cheapest Dagashi treats only cost 10 yen (about 0.1 USD), so it is fun for kids to buy those as they can choose many varieties even with their little pocket money.
5 Popular 10 Yen Dagashi Snacks
For Dagashi beginners, today I will introduce five long-time favorite Dagashi snacks available for as little as 10 yen, all of which I used to eat as a kid.
They are sold at supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores around the country and, nowadays, can also be bought on Amazon.com.
Oyatsu Calpas (おやつカルパス)
First off, Oyatsu Calpas is a semi-dry sausage snack like a cross between beef jerky and salami.
The sausage is not spicy and pretty good for the price of 10 yen. The Dagashi is not just a treat for kids, but it can also be a good accompaniment for alcoholic drinks like beer.
Mochi Taro (餅太郎)
The name of the Dagashi Mochi Taro is composed of 2 words, “Mochi (餅)” that refers to a glutinous rice cake, and “Taro (太郎)” that is a common Japanese boy’s name.
Nonetheless, Mochi Taro is made from wheat flour and starch. But the crackers are lightly salted and just like rice crackers! They are crispy and yummy.
Marukawa Fusen Gum (マルカワ フーセンガム)
Marukawa Fusen Gum is a chewing bubble gumball that comes in various fruit flavors. The gum only costs 10 yen per box, and amazingly the price has never changed for decades.
The fruit-flavored gum is coated in crumbly colored sugar and offers a satisfying real fruit-like juicy taste.
Kabayaki-San Taro (蒲焼さん太郎)
The word “Kabayaki (蒲焼き)” may remind you of grilled unagi eel. But the main ingredient of the Dagashi Kabayaki-san Taro is walleye pollack.
The Dagashi made from walleye pollack surimi is tough like jerky, and the taste is similar to Kabayaki sauce. It is sweet and salty and a little bit spicy.
Umaibo (うまい棒)
Umaibo is one of the best-known Japanese snacks. It is a corn puff stick that comes in many unique flavors.
The price of 10 yen has never changed since the original flavor Tonkatsu Sauce went on the market in 1979. Umaibo is such a legendary snack that some people call it “The King of Dagashi”.
