From the Valentine’s senbei I introduced in my last department store report, I bought the limited-edition ones from Akasaka Kakiyama, available only until Feb 14th!
I grabbed both of the two types available at the shop.
I’m going to give you a thorough review with plenty of photos, from the packaging to the crispy contents 😋
Cute Packaging
Two types of mini packs: “Heart Mix” and “Petit Heart (Chocolate).”
They wrapped them with a sticker for me.
The design of these small packs is very colorful and cute, so just putting them in a transparent bag with a sticker makes them look like a proper gift 🎀
The pink and light blue checkered pattern is the “Heart Mix.”
The color contrast really catches your eye, but it’s not too flashy—it has a cute and very stylish look.
The pink and red checkered pattern is the “Petit Heart (Chocolate).”
You can see the chocolate inside through the small window 👀 The packaging has a soft and lovely feel that brings out the sweet vibe of the chocolate.
Supplement: The “Color Magic” of these Packaging 🌈
For those who read my previous article about “The Color Magic of Packaging,” did you notice? This packaging also uses that magic!
The color scheme of “Heart Mix“—pink, light blue, and dark navy—is close to “Opposite colors (Complementary).” It creates a vivid yet cohesive impression.
The “Petit Heart (Chocolate)” uses pink, red, and chocolate brown. This is an “Analogous colors” scheme using similar hues, giving it a soft and reassuring feel ✨
Because of this color magic, you unconsciously feel, “This packaging is wonderful,” and it makes you want to pick it up ☺️
Time to Dig In!
First up is the “Heart Mix.”
A cute heart-shaped crackers sit right on top, showing how much they value that first impression! Such wonderful attention to detail ✨
The set includes 6 varieties of small rice crackers, with a total of 8 pieces.
- From the top left (heart-shaped crackers)
・Mini Heart (Chocolate): A perfect match of mild chocolate and plain soft crackers 💕
・Mini Heart (Shrimp): Very crunchy with a rich shrimp flavor 🦐
・Petit Hearts (Bonito dashi): Crispy texture followed by an elegant dashi aroma. - From the bottom left
・Keicho (Butter soy sauce flavor): Thin but firm. The grainy texture is unique, with a subtle hint of butter.
・Norimaki (Seaweed wrap): Fresh seaweed aroma pairs perfectly with the savory soy sauce ☺️
・Konoha (Almond flavor): Savory and delicious with a nice crunch from the almonds.
Without a doubt, every single one of them was delicious, but I especially loved the two types of Mini Heart and the Norimaki! 🩷
Supplement: Rice Cracker Quiz!
Time for a quick quiz about the crackers in the “Heart Mix“!
1. The heart-shaped crackers are made from “Uruchi-mai” (non-glutinous rice).
2. The other crackers are made from “Mochi-gome” (glutinous rice) and are less than 5 cm in size.
So, here is the question: Which of the following (A, B, or C) is the correct combination of names for crackers 1 and 2?
A: 1 is “Senbei,” 2 is “Okaki”
B: 1 is “Okaki,” 2 is “Arare”
C: 1 is “Senbei,” 2 is “Arare“
Quiz Answer 💡
The answer is…C! If you want to clear up the confusion and finally know the difference between Senbei, Okaki, and Arare, check out this article!
Well, next up is “Petit Heart (Chocolate).”
This feels more like cornflakes than rice crackers! It has such a light and airy crunch.
The combination of the sweet chocolate and the subtle saltiness of the cracker is exquisite 😋
It goes perfectly with milk or sugar-free milk tea! 💕 I could easily eat about 10 bags of these 😆
—Well, did this make you want to try these heart-shaped crackers? ❤️
With their cute packaging, “Heart Mix” and “Petit Heart (Chocolate)” are perfect for handing out to several people.
This combination in particular has an excellent balance of salty and sweet, and is highly recommended 😋💕
These are limited edition until Feb 14th (available only while supplies last), so head to the department store basement (Depachika) right now! 🏃♂️
Behind the article: The Battle with Temptation
To be honest, writing this review was a major battle with my own cravings.
Both types of rice crackers are so addictive that it’s hard to stop once you start.
I had to desperately restrain myself from devouring them just to make sure I took proper notes! 😆
In particular, eating the salty “Heart Mix” and the sweet “Petit Heart” back and forth made the battle with my desires a fierce one 😋💦
Product Details
🩵 Heart Mix
| Price | 216 yen (tax included) |
| Shelf Life | 90 days from the date of manufacture |
| Allergens | wheat, milk, shrimp, soy, almonds |
| Ingredients | Glutinous rice (japan), non-glutinous rice (japan), chocolate, soy sauce, almonds, sugar, seaweed, vegetable oil, mirin, shrimp, salt, bonito extract, starch syrup, butter, soy sauce powder, etc |
❤️ Petit Heart (Chocolate)
| Price | 216 yen (tax included) |
| Shelf Life | 90 days from the date of manufacture |
| Allergens | milk, wheat, soy |
| Ingredients | Chocolate, non-glutinous rice (japan), light soy sauce, sugar, mirin, bonito extract, kelp_extract, etc. |
