Raijin-do Senbei (Rice crackers)
Senbei is a type of rice crackers, very traditional. Except for ones that has lots of sugar, they tends to be low calories, so much healthier than ordinal sweets. Come in with various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet.
This snack and tea are normally served as courtesy refreshment for welcoming guests. Also, put these in a nice bowl, put it on couch, lean back and turn TV on, ah, you know the rest.
Anyways, senbei is one of the healthiest to fill up your pie hole. Then, why not try the best place?
1. Raijin-do
Over 30 years of history, senbei that they make use only rice. Little too common in food industry to increase volume by adding substances, in senbei case, the starch. But they choose not to. Soy sauce that is used for senbei flavoring should not be forgotten. Lastly, raijin-do's senbei are made by experienced craftsman.
Taste? of course, awesome.
Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
Price: ¥575
Technique of craftsman is ALL in this simple senbei.
These hand baked, one by one crunchy crispy texture of rice is covered with roasted soy sauce.
Nidoduke (Dipped twice)
Price: ¥575
Having it dipped twice, makes have stronger taste.
Fracture of senbei is more soaked with soy sauce.
Flavor of the soy sauce and rice is slightly sweet and saltiness of soy sauce really match.
Zarame (Granulated sugar)
Price: ¥575
Proper level of sweetness and crunchy texture of granulated sugar accentuate aroma of soy sauce.
As the sugar melt in mouth, saltiness of soy sauce mix up perfectly.
Not too sweet flavoring is exquisite.
Ganso Nurekari.
Price: ¥545
One of the best sales of Raijindo.
These senbei are deliberately cracked so that sauce soaking into them which creates depth in taste.
Cracked senbei is first dipped into sweet soy sauce, dry for three days, and dipped into thicker soy sauce.
3 different rice crackers are packaged and each one almost tastes differently even though they are made with same soy base.
One with black sesame, first touch in mouth is slightly sweet and savor of sesame follows. Texture is crispy and hard.
One that is light brown color tastes slightly sweet, fluffy and cripy texture.
One that is roasted color tastes slight sweetness of soy sauce, hardest of all three.
Depth in taste is created by caring labor: after first roast, sun dried for 3 days, dipped into thick soy sauce and dried again which makes them so addictive.
Dipping at the last is done for short time, to adjust balance in taste.
Kuro kosho. (coarsely grounded black pepper)
Price: ¥465
Coarsely grounded black pepper will kick in.
Also deliberately cracked but lightly sauced. Black pepper savory and spiciness is its main feature.
Aroma of the pepper and roasted rice would make a perfect couple. Pepper is coarsely grounded, which remains in mouth comfortably and so easy to get hooked on.
When compared to other products, this, you may feel soft. Dough is slowly warmed up with low heat and finished rapidly by high heat.
Tenpi-boshi Katayaki. (a sun dried, tough texture)
Price: ¥105
Feel the joy with jaw.
Very hard texture makes extremely crunchy.
The more you chew, the better Roasted rice and soy sauce tastes.
Extra tough!
The Shoyu.
(Soy sauce, Dipped twice, Dipped thrice, Dipped five times, Dipped ten times)
Price: ¥640
A package of 5 different senbei.
Each one is dipped into soy sauce for 1 to 10 times, so you can enjoy five levels of flavor thickness.
Shoyu (soy sauce): Dipped once. The Standard of Raijindo.
Nidoduke (dipped twice): Twice in the sauce. A bit more crispier and saltier than standard.
Sandoduke (dipped thrice): Thrice in the sauce. A bit more crispier and saltier than nidoduke.
Gododuke (dipped five times): Five times. Much more crispier and saltier than sandoduke. Quite salty.
Judoduke (dipped ten times): Ten times dipping. Most crispiest and saltiest of all. A drink is needed.
Kawakijizo.
Price: ¥145
Jizo shaped senbei. Jizo is a popular deity in Japan. Patron saint of travelers seen along roads often in rural area.
The actual jizo is made of stone but this kawakijizo sure is edible. Tastes moderate soy sauce with crispy texture.
Ninniku. (garlic)
Price: ¥105
Garlic flavor with soy sauce.
Deliciously seasoned with garlic. Amazing combination of garlic and soy sauce.
Norimaki. (seaweed)
Price: ¥115
Fresh aroma and crispy texture of seaweed perfectly get along with soy sauce and umami of rice.
Each one is packed individually with desiccant, so always fresh.
Dekasen Sanmi.
(Shoyu, goma, norimaki)
Price: ¥595
Big size 3 different flavors in a package.
Get filled up by a piece.
Shoyu (soy sauce): Simple and standard taste of soy sauce, won’t fed up until the last bite.
Goma (black sesame): Black sesame is mouth-filling with crispy texture of rice. The more you bite, the better it tastes.
Norimaki (seaweed): Delicious twice a piece. Standard soy sauce and seaweed.
For me, Japanese who had hundreds of different senbei, even think Raijindo's products are sophisticated, top notch.
Not to mention their wide rage of variety, best crispiness and flavoring.
Make sure to cover them with bubble sheets or T-shirts, when you get on a plane and bring them inside.
2. Where are the shops? and their info.
Raijindo Sohonten Address: 3-33-9, Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan Phone: +81 3-3576-8558 Open Hours: 9AM-6:30PM Open Everyday
Other shops:
They don't seem to have English version web, so I used a google web translation service.
Raijin-do (Translated ver.)
Raijin-do (Original ver.)
3. Your name on senbei.
I am currenty checking with them to make sure if they can accept orders from overseas. Because they need about 7 to 10 days to make special senbei that has your name on.
I will come back to this when I received their response.
You could always visit their shops and order special senbei if you are staying for over 7 days or living in Japan.
What I'm checking is whether they accept order from oversea and give it to you on your arrival.
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