I usually don't buy rice crackers because they seem hard, but I decided to try some from Awashin in Sakai, a long-established store. They had about 4-5 varieties for sale, but since there were no descriptions, I asked the shop owner for recommendations. I ended up purchasing the Yuzu flavor, called "Sazareishi," for 404 yen (they rounded it down to 400 yen at the register). When I got home and tried it, I was surprised by how soft it was, almost like eating a puffed rice snack. It had a crispy texture, different from the usual image of rice crackers. I think this series is made to be soft, making it easy to eat. It had a subtle soy sauce flavor with a hint of sweet and sour yuzu, which I found quite delicious. It also had a nice fragrant aroma. I wish it was a bit cheaper, but overall, I enjoyed munching on it.

I found out that there is a shop selling "岩おこし" in Sakai, so I went there. It was intriguing to see that they only sell "岩おこし". The shop is located west of Oimazato Station, inside the Yamanokuchi shopping street on the north side. There are plenty of coin parking lots around. The interior of the shop feels a bit dim, like the entrance of an old lady's house. As soon as I entered, I found the "岩おこし". It costs 404 yen for five pieces. I bought three bags, and they gave me a 2 yen discount on the total of 1212 yen. When I got home and tried them, they were hard, so I had to break them with my hands. However, they were delicious with a strong ginger flavor. The "岩おこし" with peanuts was quite light. But I felt that 404 yen for this amount was a bit expensive. Overall, they were tasty, but I wish they were more easily accessible to purchase.

Awagashi - Iwagashi - Welcome! I can't remember whose joke that was, but that phrase always comes to mind. I have introduced various places such as Naniwatei Paper Cafe Sweets Forest, Boa-san, and Yamanokuchi Shotengai. I also introduced Marumi, a bakery that sells Chin Den Pan. Awashin, located right across from Marumi, is also an old shop run by the third generation. It seems that all their relatives are in the confectionery business, but unfortunately, there are no successors. By the way, do you know the difference between Awagashi and Iwagashi? Both are made from the same rice, but Iwagashi is finely crushed and made harder, while Awagashi is a bit crunchier and breaks apart more easily. This time, I bought Awagashi for 404 yen and Iwagashi for 404 yen. I thought the prices were a bit odd, but they both ended up being 400 yen each. The Iwagashi had a ginger flavor and reminded me of the nostalgic taste of my childhood. I hope to preserve these historic sweets.

At the entrance of Yamaguchi Shopping Street, there is a shop called "Sakai Awakashi Honpo" that specializes in rice cakes. It is a well-known rice cake shop in Osaka, along with Amidaike Daikoku and Awagen. It was surprising to discover a rice cake shop in Sakai city. The shop is located in a dimly lit shopping street with few people around, making the signboard stand out. Inside the shop, a friendly lady greeted me and mentioned that they have been in business for about 100 years. They offer various types of rice cakes such as Takasago, Iwabara, and Sagareishi. I tried their specialty, Iwaokoshi, which had a nice texture and a delicious rice flavor. It was easy to eat and would be enjoyable for children as well. I look forward to trying other varieties in the future. Thank you for the meal!