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Ebi senbei- This is a feature!
- Material/Producing area
- Regional origin
- Standard souvenir
- shrimp
- production amount
Local rice crackers created by an idea man in the Meiji era
The ingredients and taste of senbei vary depending on the location, such as Soka senbei from the Kanto region and Nambu senbei from Tohoku. In Aichi, rice crackers = shrimp. Aichi Prefecture accounts for 9% of domestic production. The balance of saltiness and shrimp flavor is exquisite, and combined with the light texture, you won't be able to stop eating. There is also a high-end version, and it is widely used for everything from snacks to gifts.
Origin
Small shrimp can be caught in abundance in Mikawa and Chita. Due to its perishability, its use was once limited to fertilizer and export, but in the mid-Meiji period, Kamaboko Bunkichi of Isshiki Town invented rice crackers using it. Furthermore, a man named Higesada developed a shrimp processing method for mass production, which developed into a local industry.
Popularity
Ebi senbei dominates the senbei section of supermarkets in Aichi Prefecture. There are also luxury products made from whole grilled shrimp, which are the mainstream at souvenir shops.
Approximately 100 manufacturers are concentrated in Mikawa. The most popular one is the so-called "Mangetsu," which is made by grilling small shrimp in white dough.