Following the previous article, this review is once again about senbei—and once again about Utsunomiya and gyoza dumplings.
Why did I eat two products with such similar names in succession? They were displayed side by side despite looking completely different.
For the previous product, please see my review of Utsunomiya Senbei by Sanyo Bussan.
In contrast, these Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei look like traditional hard rice crackers that you crunch loudly as you eat.
Even the rugged man wearing a headband on the package suggests their robust texture.
I bought them at Kawaguchi Parking Area in Saitama Prefecture, so let us take a closer look.
Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei by Sanwa Bussan
A box of 15 costs 648 yen.
The box is styled like a package of genuine chilled gyoza, which looks fantastic!
Parody-like packaging of this kind is exciting even for adults.
You can see the deeply toasted crackers peeking through the design.
Utsunomiya gyoza is a Tochigi specialty known throughout Japan, and many different dumpling-flavored crackers are sold.
Among them, these Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei carry official approval from the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association!
The back features an illustrated map of Tochigi Prefecture.
The best-before date is also printed there and is 180 days from manufacture.
Inside the red box, the presentation is extremely simple.
Each cracker is individually wrapped, but only in plain transparent plastic.
Because the outer box is so charming, I wish the individual wrappers were a little more attractive too. When handing them out one by one, appealing wrappers make a difference.
On the other hand, perhaps this almost commercial, no-frills appearance has its own charm.
The cracker itself, however, has an amusing shape that clearly represents a gyoza dumpling.
Trying Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei
It feels satisfyingly heavy in the hand. This is a thick, hard-baked rice cracker. Time to taste it!
It is extremely hard, with a powerful crunch—the very definition of a classic senbei.
The sauce seasoning is strong enough to taste almost salty, while garlic adds the unmistakable character of gyoza.
Because it is thick and substantial, just one cracker is surprisingly satisfying.
The resistance is strong enough to tire your jaw, which may even make it useful when you are watching how much you eat. In other words, the proper approach is to break it into pieces first, just as older people often do with hard senbei.
Tochigi has many famous local foods, but these humorous crackers would also make a well-received souvenir.
Real gyoza usually needs refrigeration or comes frozen, so a shelf-stable product like this is particularly convenient.
Thank you for the treat.
Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei Product Info, Expiration Date, Manufacturer
| Product Name | Jumbo Utsunomiya Gyoza Senbei |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer / Seller | Sanwa Bussan |
| Address | |
| Expiration Date | 180 days from manufacture |
| Place of Purchase | Kawaguchi Parking Area |
| Price | 648 yen for 15 |
