Senbei, Okaki and Arare

Japanese rice crackers hold a special place among snacks in Japan. Round, square, elongated or shaped like persimmon seeds, they can be thin and light, thick and crunchy, fried, grilled, savoury or sweet and savoury.

This broad family mainly includes senbei, okaki and arare, along with many variations that have become genuine classics.

Senbei, okaki and arare: three families of rice crackers

The first difference lies in the rice used. Senbei are traditionally made with ordinary Japanese rice, then shaped before being grilled or fried.

Okaki and arare are made from glutinous rice: okaki are generally fairly large, while arare usually refers to smaller pieces.

Kaki no tane, recognisable by their persimmon-seed shape and often mixed with peanuts, therefore belong to the arare family.

These distinctions provide useful guidance, although modern shapes and manufacturers’ recipes sometimes make the boundaries less clear.

Thickness, cooking method and seasoning change everything

Usuyaki senbei are thin and light, while atsuyaki are thicker and have a firmer bite.

Age senbei, such as Kabukiage, are fried and have a lighter, more aerated texture. Nure senbei absorb more sauce and remain tender and slightly chewy.

The word zarame does not refer to a particular type of rice, but to senbei coated with large sugar crystals, generally combined with a soy sauce seasoning.

Nori, sesame, wasabi, curry and chilli then bring their own nuances. Seaweed lovers will find a completely different texture among our nori seaweed crisps.

From traditional recipes to modern classics

Some rice crackers are best known by the name of their recipe or brand. Pota Pota Yaki are light senbei with a mild soy sauce seasoning, Bakauke are recognisable by their curved shape, and Happy Turn by their sweet-and-savoury powder. The list is very, very long! 😅

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