Sakata, a city in Yamagata Prefecture, is renowned for its rice cultivation, particularly on the fertile Shōnai Plain. It is also home to the well-known Sakata Beika rice cracker company and the historic Sankyo Sōko rice storehouses—important cultural landmarks that speak to the region’s long agricultural heritage.

This is the Sakata Beika Oranda Rice Cracker Plum Kelp.

It featured rice crackers made with 100% Yamagata-grown rice and seasoned with ume kombu cha from Gyokuro-en—a powdered blend of dried kombu and ume traditionally consumed as a savoury tea or used as a flavouring.

Each box contained 12 individually sealed bags, each containing two crackers.

Each box contained 12 individually sealed sachets, with each sachet holding two crackers. Each cracker measured approximately 6 cm in diameter and 3 mm thick, with a cream-coloured base, golden edges, and a dusting of pink, purple, and green seasoning. The aroma was mild, with a soft hint of ume.

On tasting, the crackers delivered a light, crisp crunch, releasing an immediate fragrant, toasted aroma of rice. This was swiftly followed by the seasoning’s tart ume notes, before the savoury depth of kombu emerged mid-bite, layered over the toasted rice base. Toward the finish, the sharper fruity quality of the ume returned, leading to a clean aftertaste.

The overall profile was savoury, gently salty, and umami-rich, elevated by a bright fruity tang. It was an elegant and distinctive snack.

This Sakata Beika Oranda Rice Cracker Plum Kelp contained 57.6 g (4.8 g  x 12 bags). It was produced in Japan and purchased in Yamagata, Japan in 2025.