This is the Shibukawa Ringo Senbei, featuring Tsugaru rice crackers made with flour from Aomori Prefecture and topped with apple chips sourced from the same region.
Each cracker was circular, approximately 9 cm in diameter and 1 mm thick, with a slightly convex centre reaching about 2 mm in height, surrounded by a 1 cm-wide rim, resembling a shallow, flattened dome. One side was coated with apple chips, while the other was covered in black sesame seeds. It had a slightly oily, fried aroma from the apple chips.
On tasting, the cracker had the light, crisp texture and warm savoury quality typical of a classic Nanbu senbei, with the black sesame adding nuttiness that intensified with each chew. However, the apple component lacked the bright sweetness and acidity found in Komatsu Iwateya Nanbu Senbei Shun no Mori. Instead, a sugar coating beneath the apple pieces introduced a somewhat chewy texture, while the apple pieces, though visible, did not deliver the vibrant fruitiness expected from freeze-dried or traditionally dried apples. They also tended to stick to the teeth.
The overall flavour was that of a crispy Nanbu senbei with nuttiness from the black sesame on the underside, complemented by a hint of sweetness from the caramel and apple. However, there are better executions of this style and flavour of senbei.
This Shibukawa Ringo Senbei contained ??. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Aomori, Japan in 2024.