Kyonan Rakuichi Karinto (Sawarabi): A Souvenir from Roadside Station Hota Elementary School, Inspired by School Route Signs

Continuing with the items I bought at Roadside Station Hota Elementary School, this time I’m introducing karinto.

The packaging prominently features “Hota Elementary School” and “Kyonan Rakuichi,” so it seems to be an original product from this location. I wasn’t sure why they chose karinto, but I decided to give it a try since it fits the concept of the Hota Elementary School theme.

Kyonan Rakuichi Karinto (Sawarabi Co., Ltd.)

Two 130g bags for 864 yen.

The yellow paper bag, inspired by school route road signs, is really fun!

Since you can’t see the contents, it’s hard to imagine what kind of karinto is inside until you open it…
It feels like buying a lucky bag. ^^;

The expiration date is printed on the bottom. It’s about two months from the purchase date.

I see, so this is what it looks like!

It’s packaged in such a simple bag that it feels like a commercial product.

There’s a proper tear notch on the bag.

Each bag contained about seven pieces.

The karinto is quite large, measuring 9 cm in length and 3 cm in thickness. You’ll need to open your mouth wide to take a bite!

My Honest Thoughts on Tasting Kyonan Rakuichi Karinto (Sawarabi)

Alright, let’s dig in.

At first glance, it looks hard, but the brown sugar coating is soft and makes it easy to eat.

The thick layer of brown sugar is very sweet and comforting. The inside of the karinto is more moist than crunchy. For a moment, I thought it might be stale, but it seems that’s just how it’s meant to be.

The packaging is amusing, so I’ll forgive the taste (laughs). Honestly, there are many karinto snacks that taste better, and whether it’s worth going all the way to the roadside station just to buy this is questionable. Considering the price, it might be better to choose something else.

While the flavor is likely to appeal to a broad audience, it didn’t get high marks in our household.

However, the paper bag is so cute that it became my daughter’s toy for a while. It seems like something retro-loving adults would appreciate. ^_^

Thank you for the treat.

I plan to write a separate review about my visit to Roadside Station Hota Elementary School. While the facility itself is excellent, the souvenir selection wasn’t particularly impressive. Since the souvenir shop offers both original products and Chiba’s specialties, it might be better not to limit yourself to the original items.

Kyonan Rakuichi Karinto Product Info, Expiration Date, Manufacturer