Refined white sugar was very valuable in Japan 300 years ago and was used only as a sweet for some ruling classes.
Inexpensive sweets made from brown sugar that were eaten by the common people at that time are called “Dagashi”.
Nowadays, cheap sweets that children can buy with their own pocket money are very popular. “Umaibo” is a typical Dagashi, a stick-shaped corn snack with various flavors.
What is Umaibo and can I eat it?
Materials of Umaibo
Corn, vegetable oils, lactose, dairy products, bread crumbs, sugar, salt, spices, seasonings
| Low-gluten | ||||
| Food supermarket | Convenience store | Drug store |
Umaibo has a variety of flavored products
The characteristic of Umaibo is that there are many types of flavors, and there are about 20 types of standard products alone, and there are also regional and limited-time products.
The price is only 10 yen (= 10 cent) and hasn’t changed for a long time. As raw material costs rise, the size of the product becomes a little smaller.
It is rod-shaped, but the inside is hollow. It seems that there are reasons such as to increase the strength of the product, to heat it uniformly, and to improve the texture.
Since its launch in 1979, the character “Umaemon” has always been drawn on the packaging.
Popular flavors are
- Mentai flavor (flavor of spicy cod roe)
- Corn potage flavor
- Cheese flavor
Also, it is said that the best value is “takoyaki taste”, and the manufacturing cost is higher than others because the flavor is added twice. The texture is firm and you can enjoy the only taste.
Try to eat Umaibo!
How much ?
$ 0.1, it is very cheap!
Where can I get Umaibo?
Available at food supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores. You can also buy a large bag at food supermarkets. If you can find an old-fashioned candy store, that’s fine. It used to be familiar, but now it’s disappearing.
Precautions when eating Umaibo
Not gluten-free, but few gluten
The main dough is corn. It is not gluten-free because bread crumbs are used for molding, but the amount may be small. If you’re gluten-free for health purposes, you won’t have much of an impact if you don’t eat too much.
Japanese writer’s comment for Umaibo
Elementary school students in Japan bring Bento and sweets during their school excursion. There is usually an upper limit for bringing sweets, such as up to $ 3, so, cheap sweets that we can buy a lot are popular.
Take a lot and share them with our friends. Of course, I brought Umaibo, but it might break while I put it in my backpack. It was a memorable experience to have a hard time eating shattered Umaibo. Also, there were many flavors, so I enjoyed answering what I chosed with my friends.
It’s a sweet for children, but many people still like it even after they grow up. After we grown up, we can buy a large pack of Umaibo, buy all kinds, or buy a lot without worrying about money, and we can fulfill your little dream as a child.
