One of the most popular rice crackers.
One of the most popular rice crackers in Japan is Happy Turn.
Unlike other rice crackers, the flavor is neither soy sauce nor sugary.
Salty but sweet, nobody can stop eating Happy Turn.
Let me introduce the history of this snack.
In 1976, the Oil crisis and depression happened in Japan.
Kameda Seika, the company that produces Happy Turn, says they wanted to make a snack that could cheer people up. Their wish was “We hope everyone’s happiness will come back soon– a return to happiness!”
And then they decided to name their new snack Happy Turn.
What makes us crazy about Happy Turn?
The secret of the flavor is “Happy Powder”. It sounds strange, doesn’t it?
“Happy Powder” is basically made of salt, sugar, and Umami.
The powder is sprinkled on a rice cracker. At first, this rice cracker’s surface was flat and smooth.
So, the flavor was subtle when they just sprinkled the Happy Powder on the rice crackers.
The powder and rice crackers were a good flavor combination, but they couldn’t stick together, so it was difficult to enjoy them together.
They decided to make grooves on the surface of the crackers, and the grooves could catch the powder meaning you could eat the powder and rice crackers together.
Ta-da, they made it!
You can get this snack at many Japanese grocery stores!
Sometimes, they have limited flavors like these:
Rosehip and orange
Curry addiction
Spicy chicken
They also have regional flavors in many areas of Japan 😉
And you can get them on Amazon as well.
“Happy Turn’s” ~The special stores for Happy Turn.~
There are 4 stores in west Japan. They have:
Special packages and flavors.
- WASANBON (Special type of sugar, it takes a long time to make it)
- MACCHIA
- KOKUTOU KINAKO (Brown sugar and soy powder)
- SALT BUTTER
- STRAWBERRY
- CHEESE
- MENTAI BUTTER (Mentai is spicy pickled fish egg)
- EDAMAME
- CORN
Each of the flavors is based on basic Happy Powder.
Of courses, they are really good too! …..Yum!
Where can I get this in Japan?
At convince store, super market, Don Quixote and online.
Ordering snacks online when visiting Japan (Pick up at convenience store)
More Japanese SNACKS?
Is there any links to get recommendation from SNACKING JAPAN?