Handmade Senbei Experience

【Kitakata's Hidden Soul Food】 'Tamari Senbei' nurtured by pure water and breweries, and an inspiring hand-grilling experience

Often overshadowed by ramen and sake, Kitakata has a unique culture of 'Tamari Senbei' that has been loved locally for a long time. The clear underground water from the foot of Mount Iide nurtures exquisite rice, and the 'kura' that maintains a constant temperature and humidity has supported the brewing of high-quality soy sauce (tamari). The unique climate of this land has miraculously come together to cultivate a delicious culture of rice crackers.

■ Established in Meiji 33, facing shichirin and charcoal 
This tour visits 'Yamanaka Senbei Honpo', a long-established shop that has been carefully hand-grilling each cracker over charcoal in a brick oven for over 120 years. Here, you can enjoy a unique experience using traditional shichirin for 'hand-grilling'. The dough, only about 1mm thick, is sandwiched between special grilling sticks and slowly held over the charcoal.

■ Like magic! The dough expands 'as if dancing' 
The moment the heated dough changes to a whitish color and eventually puffs up 'as if dancing' over the charcoal is so fascinating that even adults can't help but cheer. Rhythmically flipping it to avoid burning, you can enjoy the freshly grilled crackers right there. Please savor the deep emotion of this simple yet profound craftsmanship, as the fragrant aroma and sweetness of the rice spread throughout your mouth.