KOUJI328
Image blog ⇒ "http://kouji328.blog59.fc2.com/blog-entry-4862.html" After a long time, I had a job in Kansai. I took the Hankyu train and got off at Koshienen, one station before Nishinomiya, where I will probably never get off again. Then I worked at Kobe Station, then transferred to JR at Umeda, and returned from Osaka Station to Shin-Osaka to Nagoya. I didn't have time to look for souvenirs, so I ended up going back to Shin-Osaka and quickly selecting some at Ekimarche. No matter where you go, souvenir shops all look the same, but especially in Osaka, traditional souvenirs are surprisingly few. While browsing, I found something nostalgic, "Okoshi" in a flat package! I used to eat it a lot when I was a kid because my grandma always brought it back from Buddhist services and such. It's been decades since I last had it. By the way, when you say "Okoshi," it's usually "Rai Okoshi," but what I used to eat was this nostalgic package. I'm not saying you have to eat it because it's delicious, but I decided to buy it to let my family try it out. It lasts a long time too. Lineup: Awa Okoshi Large 10 pieces including tax 756 yen / Iwa Okoshi Large 10 pieces including tax 756 yen / Osaka Okoshi (Awa Iwa Small 24 pieces) including tax 540 yen / Osaka Castle Lord 600 (including tax 648 yen) / Osaka Castle Lord 1000 (including tax 1080 yen). I think I used to eat the Awa one, but it might have been Iwa, so I chose the "Osaka Okoshi" which includes both small cuts of Awa and Iwa at an affordable price. The sign says "If you're lost for Osaka souvenirs, go for this!" so I guess it's the bestseller? Reference: Amida Ike Daikoku WIKI) Manufactures the classic Osaka souvenir, "Okoshi." The company name comes from the fact that the first generation started manufacturing "Awa Okoshi" by the banks of the Naniwa "Amida Pond" in 1805. Also, the company uses "Daikoku" in its name as the original material for Okoshi is rice, symbolizing the god of good harvest, Daikoku-sama. HP: "Iwa Okoshi: The crispness of ginger enhances the deep richness of black sugar. The unique firmness that gives the name is a deep taste that you can enjoy with each bite." "Awa Okoshi: Rice is roasted to a grain-like texture and combined with fragrant sesame. The traditional flat Okoshi is characterized by its crispy texture." I tried the Awa with 16 pieces and Iwa with 8 pieces. When lined up, the Awa has larger rice grains compared to the Iwa for some reason. However, when eating, there is a slight difference in flavor due to the ginger in the Iwa, but the sweetness of the water candy is strong, and in terms of hardness, the Awa with smaller grains may be harder, but if you were to say that the Iwa is harder, there is a slight difference in feeling... The Iwa is definitely the winner when it comes to Awa or Iwa, but either way, Okoshi is Okoshi. It's not necessarily nostalgic or memorable for me, just something I used to eat as a kid. It might not be memorable for kids these days. In terms of cost performance, it's a good choice for distributing souvenirs. 74 points. WIKI Awa Okoshi Manufacturing Method: Give moisture to grains such as rice and millet, steam them to make mochi. Thinly spread the mochi and dry it, then crush it into grain-like pieces. Roast it with salt in a kettle, expand it with the moisture in the mochi, separate and recover the salt by sieving or gravity method. Add processed peanuts, sesame, and other secondary ingredients, mix them with heated sugar syrup or water candy, spread them out flat, cut them when slightly cooled, or put them in a mold to cool, and make the product.