This is the Calbee Kappa Ebisen Zeppin Hamami Salt and Wasabi. It features 52% hamamishio, a premium salt sourced from the beaches of Tsushima Island, located roughly halfway between Kyūshū and the Korean Peninsula. The salt is valued for its rich umami flavour, thanks to the trace minerals it contains.

The crackers were about twice the size of the brand’s original variety, measuring approximately 4 x 1.7 x 0.7 cm, and had a savoury shrimp aroma with a subtle sharpness from the wasabi. Upon tasting, the powdered wasabi seasoning on the surface delivered an immediate tingling sensation, followed by a satisfyingly crunchy texture. The shrimp flavour developed after a few bites, rehydrating on the palate along with the salt crystals to create a rich, savoury shrimp taste by mid-bite. Towards the finish, the wasabi notes intensified to an aromatic sharpness—some reaching sinus-clearing strength—lingering alongside the savoury shrimp flavour. The combination of delicate saltiness, bold wasabi, and underlying prawn made these worthy of repurchase.

This Calbee Kappa Ebisen Zeppin Hamami Salt and Wasabi contained 60 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2024.