A・La・Kashiko: Premium Japanese Okaki by Akasaka Kakiyama
In the Premium Onsen Box, we bring you A・La・Kashiko, an elegant assortment of bite-sized Japanese rice crackers created by Akasaka Kakiyama.
Founded in 1971, Akasaka Kakiyama has specialized in premium arare and okaki for more than half a century. The company continues to preserve Japan’s gift-giving culture through carefully selected ingredients, traditional craftsmanship, and beautifully presented rice crackers.
Exceptional Okaki Begins with Mochi Rice
Okaki are traditional Japanese rice crackers made by steaming glutinous rice, pounding it into mochi, slowly drying it, and then baking it until crisp.
Akasaka Kakiyama primarily uses Shin Taisho mochi rice, a rare variety grown in Toyama Prefecture. It accounts for only slightly more than 1% of Japan’s total glutinous-rice production and is prized for its rich flavor and exceptionally firm texture.
To preserve the rice’s freshness and aroma, Akasaka Kakiyama mills only the amount needed for each day’s production. The rice is soaked overnight in water from Toyama and gently steamed in traditional wooden steamers.
It is then pounded with wooden mallets, shaped by skilled craftspeople, and slowly dried without applying excessive heat or forced air. Finally, each batch is carefully baked at a temperature adjusted to suit the condition of the dough that day.
This patient process creates the rich rice aroma and delicately crisp texture for which Akasaka Kakiyama is known.
Five Flavors in One Elegant Assortment
A・La・Kashiko presents some of Akasaka Kakiyama’s signature rice crackers in a convenient bite-sized format.
This 13-piece assortment contains five varieties:
- Hitokuchi Keicho – Soy Sauce: Crisp rice crackers with a savory soy sauce flavor
- Hitokuchi Keicho – Green Seaweed: Light crackers with the fresh aroma of aonori seaweed
- Hitokuchi Mamegaki: Rice crackers featuring the satisfying texture of soybeans
- Hitokuchi Norimaki: Bite-sized crackers wrapped in flavorful nori seaweed
- Konoha – Shrimp and Sesame: Small arare crackers offering the distinctive aromas of shrimp and sesame
Each piece is individually wrapped, allowing you to enjoy the different flavors at your own pace. They pair beautifully with Japanese tea, coffee, beer, sake, or wine.
A Package Inspired by Japanese Craftsmanship
The colorful and modern package takes its inspiration from yosegi-zaiku, the traditional Japanese art of creating intricate geometric patterns from different varieties and colors of wood.
Just as yosegi-zaiku brings diverse shapes and colors together in one harmonious design, A・La・Kashiko brings together a selection of distinctive rice crackers in a single beautiful box.
From its refined presentation to the natural flavor of mochi rice and its delicately crisp texture, every piece reflects Japan’s thoughtful approach to craftsmanship.
