The Heiji Fisherman Hat Cracker (Heiji Senbei) models the “kasa” conical hat used in medieval Japan. The city of Tsu in Mie Prefecture, where the company is headquartered, has an ancient tale of filial devotion which has been featured in the famous traditional Bunraku and Kabuki performance Seishu Akogigaura: Heiji Sumika no Dan. To save his ailing mother, the main character Heiji goes out to fish in the Akogigaura sea, which was a sacred prohibited area, to catch fish that is said to cure her illness. However, one night Heiji forgets his kasa hat on the beach, which results in his arrest and execution. This hat became the motif for the Heiji Senbei created in 1913. It was a pioneer in three-dimensional shaped senbei crackers, and made from just the three ingredients of sugar, flour and eggs. The pleasant, light flavor became widely popular, and has been a favorite for over 100 years in the same original form.
For its 100th anniversary, new products based on the Heiji cracker were also developed, leading to various new textured sweets. To depict the kasa hat covered in snow as Heiji fishes in the freezing winter sea, the cracker dough is blended with almonds and butter to create a snowball-style Silver Snow (Gingasa). In addition, the Chocolate and White Chocolate versions, which soaks the cracker in chocolates, are also popular for their modern twists. Try both the traditional and evolved versions of this beloved sweets.