Happy Turn is one of the most popular and well-known senbei in Japan, and today I’m introducing its spicy version: Happy Turn Spice.
The package says it has “an amazing savory flavor from an original blend of eight spices,” so I had pretty high expectations when I tried it. But… maybe I expected a little too much 😅
I’ll give you my honest take on how it actually tastes!
Product Summary
| Cooking Method | Baked |
| Hardness | ★☆☆☆（Level 1: Soft） |
| Flavors | Sweet and Salty, Spicy |
Product Information
| Product Name | Happy Turn Spice (ハッピーターン スパイス) |
| Manufacturer | Kameda Seika (亀田製菓) |
| Quantity | 73 g (about 18 pieces) |
| Price | Reference price: 200–250 yen |
| Where to Buy | Most supermarkets; some drugstores and convenience stores in Japan |
Package & Individual Wraps
The big “粉うまスパイス！” written on the package—“Powder So Good, It’s Spicy!” in English—really caught my eye.
And on the back, it says, “An amazing savory spice made with an original blend of eight spices.”
Seeing these, I figured this must be a new type of Happy Turn, with plenty of spice added to the classic Happy Turn flavor. Needless to say, my expectations were getting higher and higher! 🤩
By the way, these aren’t individually wrapped. Once you open the outer bag, the Happy Turn Spice are packed directly inside.
So, to keep them from getting stale if you don’t finish the bag in one go, the outer package has a resealable zipper.
Ingredients & Other Information
You can check the ingredients, allergen information, and other details on the back of the package.
| Main Ingredients | Non-glutinous rice, vegetable oil, starch, sugar, hydrolyzed protein, spices, chicken extract powder, mirepoix powder, salt, yeast powder, etc. |
| Allergy Information | Soybeans, chicken |
Flavor & Texture
Thanks for waiting! Time to taste it.
Unlike regular Happy Turn, these have black and red powder stuck to them, so I was excited to see just how spicy they would be. But when I took my first bite…
My first reaction was, “Huh?? This tastes a lot like regular Happy Turn.”
The very first flavor I noticed wasn’t the strong spiciness I had been expecting. It was the familiar taste of regular Happy Turn—the sweet-and-salty flavor of Happy Powder.
“No way. That can’t be right,” I thought. So I kept chewing.
Then, little by little, I started to notice the aroma of pepper and a slightly spicy kick, kind of like chili pepper. Toward the end of chewing, I also got a very subtle curry-like flavor—maybe coriander?—that seemed to come through my nose.
Overall, I’d describe it as “a little richer in flavor than regular Happy Turn, with the spices coming through afterward.”
So yeah… there is definitely a spice flavor, and it really is Happy Turn Spice, just as the name says.
But what I had imagined was a much more punchy spice flavor—something where you could tell from the very first bite that it was clearly different from regular Happy Turn.
The texture is just like regular Happy Turn: light, super crispy, with a nice, crisp bite.
Of course, it’s delicious in its own way. But if you’re expecting the kind of punchy spice flavor that makes the difference from regular Happy Turn obvious from the very first bite, like I was, you might end up disappointing yourself 😆
Since it has a richer flavor than regular Happy Turn along with a mild touch of spice, it goes well with beer. Personally, though, if I’m having it with beer, I’d prefer a little more spice!
Size
Each piece is around 7 cm.
Bonus: How to Eat Happy Turn Spice
Since Happy Turn Spice isn’t individually wrapped, you’ll probably end up picking them up with your fingers.
The problem is, as you can see, you get a lot of Happy Powder all over your fingers.
Sure, you can just lick your fingers as you eat them 😋
But if you happen to have a pair of chopsticks nearby, I recommend using them instead! 😆
