Studies have shown that in times of stress, certain junk-food snacks (when consumed in moderation!) can “activate the brain’s reward system and generate feelings of well-being.”
For Week 4 of Friday Favorites, we share with you the salty Japanese snacks we turn to for a satisfying pick-me-up.
Happy Turn (ハッピーターン) - Kameda Seika
Jagariko Salad (じゃがりこサラダ) - Calbee
Karamucho (カラムーチョ) - Koike-ya
Karl Light (カールうすあじ) - Meiji Seika
Polinky Cod Roe (ポリンキーめんたいこあじ) - Koike-ya
Umai-bo (うまい棒) - Yaokin
Read staff comments below to prepare yourself for a bit of munching pleasure this weekend.
These and other savory treats can be found in Houston’s local Japanese markets, Daido and Seiwa, as well as beloved Japanese “dollar store” Daiso. Specialty snacks are also now available at Shun Japanese Restaurant’s pop-up bodega. Enjoy.
IKUYO
Image from Meiji
Karl Light (カール うすあじ)
Meiji Seika (明治製菓)
Karl chips are a popular corn puff snack sold by Meiji Seika in Japan. Meiji started selling the corn snack in 1968, first offering cheese and chicken soup flavors. In its nearly 50-year history, some 200 different flavors have been produced.
Karl has a unique character, the Karl Ojisan, Uncle Karl. The TV commercial series were very popular when I was a child. The lyrics of the Karl theme song, which were sung by Michiya Mihashi, a famous Minyo singer in Japan, are very funny and nostalgic.
My favorite is Usuaji, the lightly salted flavor. In the past, I was able to find Karl in Houston. However, in May 2017, Meiji Seika suddenly announced that it would be slashing production of Karl and focusing sales on Western Japan. Stores in Eastern Japan began pulling Karl from their shelves. This news shocked many Japanese people, as reported by Japan Times. You can read the article [here]. Following the announcement, it has become difficult to find Karl in the US.
KEIKO
Image from Koike-ya
Polinky Cod Roe (ポリンキー めんたいこあじ)
Koike-ya (コイケヤ)
Polinky are a puff corn snack created by Koike-ya. They are light and crunchy in texture and are shaped in mesh-like triangles similar to Chex in America. The most popular flavors are sweet corn and cod roe (mentaiko).
The mentaiko flavor is my favorite. Spicy cod roe adds umami to the sweetness of the corn, creating a delicious balance. Mentaiko is a popular flavor in Japan and is used in a variety of products including pasta sauce and snacks.
LAUREN
Image from Kameda
Happy Turn (ハッピーターン)
Kameda Seika (亀田製菓)
My favorite savory Japanese snack is Happy Turn created by Kameda Seika. The company started producing the snack in 1976 and has since created a variety of flavors including takoyaki, umeboshi (pickled plum), and wasabi mayonnaise. But my favorite continues to be the original.
These light, crispy senbei (rice crackers) are not like the typical senbei in shape, texture, or flavor. The crackers have a lighter, softer crispiness to them and a sweet and salty soy sauce taste that is really addictive. Each snack is individually wrapped which is a great way to ensure that you don’t eat the whole bag at once.
MEGUMI
Image from Calbee
Jagariko Salad (じゃがりこサラダ)
Calbee
Jagariko are a potato snack similar to chips that have been shaped into strands. Created by Calbee in 1995, these little buckets of deliciously satisfying crunches have been made into a variety of flavors such as butter potato and cheese as well as regional specialties like Kansai takoyaki and Hokkaido butter corn.
My favorite flavor is the salad flavor which includes carrot and parsley seasoning, making this snack taste similar to a crunchy baked potato.
MIDORI
Image from Amazon
Umai-bo (うまい棒)
Yaokin
Umai-bo is a brand of Japanese corn snacks sold by Yaokin since 1979. Translated as “delicious stick,” this tasty treat is shaped in a hollowed out rod with a texture similar to Cheetos Puffs. The mascot is a cat, Umaemon, whose name is a pun on that of a popular animated character, Doraemon.
Like many other Japanese snacks, umai-bo come in a variety of flavors, both salty and sweet.
PATSY
Image from Koike-ya
Karamucho (カラムーチョ)
Koike-ya (コイケヤ)
As a fan of all things spicy, my go-to Japanese snack has long been Karamucho.
Karamucho has delighted the tastebuds of those in Japan who crave spicy snacks since 1984.
Created by Koike-ya, Japan’s first mass producer of potato chips, Karamucho (a combination of the Japanese word for “spicy hot” (karai; 辛い) and the Spanish word for “a lot” (mucho)) was the first spicy snack flavor introduced in Japan.
While initially rejected by wholesalers as not suitable for the Japanese palette, the brand was popularized by convenience stores. A grandmother character ヒーおばあちゃん (hi~ obaachan) later developed for the brand would make Karamucho a top seller.
It is even said that Karamucho kick started the spicy food trend in Japan!
Karamucho comes also comes in chips. You can even find a “furikake” version to sprinkle on your rice.