March Maker’s Story: Hand-grilled Rice Crackers from Akita by Kanaeya

The Tohoku Region is home to some of Japan’s best untouched nature. Take Akita as an example, a prefecture where lush landscapes meet premium rice fields. Renowned for its exceptional rice, Akita Prefecture boasts a culinary tradition that elevates every meal and snack. 

As one of our makers for our line-up of snacks, we are excited to feature 鼎家 (鼎家) and their product GIN-NO-TEIAN (銀の鼎庵) (Hand Grilled Rice Crackers) in this month’s “Tasty Tohoku Treats” Omiyage Snack Box! To uncover more about Kanaeya and their origins, we spoke to the brand’s Sales Representative Mr. Saito (齊藤).

“Come and try yummy rice crackers made with delicious Akita rice!”

Thank you for speaking with us, Saito-san! Please share with us about Kanaeya’s origins, and tell us more about the company’s brands and representative products.

The company was established in 2004 as a wholesale distributor of Akita sightseeing souvenirs. Since our current president joined the company 11 years ago, we began producing confectionery in-house, and in June 2019, we launched the rice cracker brand Teian (米菓匠鼎庵).

Awayuki Fuwari rice crackers by Teian. | Photo by Kanaeya

We produce hand-baked rice crackers made from Akita rice, including the fluffy rice cracker “Awayuki Fuwari” (淡雪ふわり), as well as the savoury-sweet miso-flavoured “Kin-no-Teian” (金の鼎庵). These rice crackers are delicately hand-crafted  to bring out the exquisite texture and flavour of the rice to the fullest extent.

Handcrafted rice crackers | Photo by Kanaeya

They sound delicious! What about the “Gin-no-Teian” rice crackers that are in this month’s Omiyage Snack Box? 

Just like our other rice crackers, we use Akita-grown rice called “Akita Komachi” (あきたこまち)—a premium grade of rice—that is produced by our affiliated partner farmers. 

Carefully hand-baked by artisans | Photo by Kanaeya

Gin-no-Teian rice crackers were masterfully baked into a 3-inch round dough, and seasoned with our original special sauce by skilled artisans. This special sauce is made from Ishimago Honten (石孫本店), Akita’s long-established miso and soy sauce brewery.

It’s so impressive that every part of the rice cracker is truly made with ingredients from Akita! Is there anything more about Teian that you would like to share with our readers?

Yes, our rice crackers have a gentle texture and rice flavour that only hand-baked rice crackers can provide, and our customers always come back to our stores for more. The rice crackers are also a highly-regarded and appreciated local product of Akita, having won accolades such as the Encouragement Award at the 2019 Akita Food Championship.

A variety of delicious rice crackers made with Akita Komachi rice from Teian | Photo by Kanaeya

While we have sold our products in Taiwan and Singapore before, we hope that our new customers from abroad will try rice crackers, which is a unique confectionery developed in Japan, and also discover the deliciousness of rice crackers from Akita Prefecture, which ranks third in terms of rice production in Japan.

Teian’s Main Store is located in Oga Peninsula, Akita | Photo by Kanaeya 

As a brand from Akita, are there any local tourist attractions or events that you would like to introduce to foreign visitors to Japan?

Our company is located in the Oga Peninsula (男鹿半島) in Akita Prefecture. The Namahage of Oga is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and was also registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018. The Oga Peninsula is one of the top tourist destinations in Akita and is definitely a spot worth visiting.

Teian’s shop in Akita Station’s in-station mall Topico | Photo by Kanaeya

Thank you for introducing to us a local gem! Do you have any parting messages for our readers at JAPAN RAIL CLUB?

We hope that through one of our rice crackers, you can experience the craftsmanship that goes into making these fluffy and crispy rice crackers by hand, which is a cultural symbol of Japan, even in this day and age.

This month, try Kanaeya’s GIN-NO-TEIAN (銀の鼎庵) (Hand Grilled Rice Crackers) exclusively in JAPAN RAIL CLUB’s “Tasty Tohoku Treats” Omiyage Snack Box! Subscribe today to receive a monthly curation of Japanese snacks, right at the comforts of your home.