Dagashi by Charinko
CHEAP SNACKS, AKA DAGASHI, WHICH I GROW UP WITH.
Man, this used to be my main food when I was growing up. Dagashi (駄菓子) was sold in shabby shop on narrow street run by grandpa and grandma (not mine). After the dismissal bell, gang up with my mates and it was the first place we headed.
There were capsule toys vending machine. One or two arcade games at the corner, which sucks up my of money. Toy lottery which is almost impossible to win a prize.
But kid's don't care as long as they are surrounded by full of munchies.
Now, 99% of shops are gone, because of their age and economy. Instead, dagashi is sold by business companies. I went to a shop called "Dagashiya Charinko" in Fukuoka.
It is a shop that sales dagashi throughout Kyushu of Japan and a few others in different area. If you are looking for something more than you'd see in 100 yen shops. This is the place to go.
Dagashi-ya Charinko. Even they are not 100% guaranteed, capsules and claw machines are decent. Still, reminds me the past.
So many of'em, makes hard to pick. But they are cheap. Go for it. (If you are allergic to anything, ask the staff in the store.)
Dried cutterfish, codfish, horse mackerel, and so on. Mainly dried fishes. Dried looking ones are normally salt flavor. Dipped looking ones are sweet soy sauce flavor. Well, only one way to find out.
In plastic boxes, they are candies give a chance to win another one. I'll explain it later on.
I bought some of dagashi at the store and took pictures.
Ramune sweets. It's amazing, even they are not the real thing but taste just like they are intended to.
Mini Sour.
Price: ¥33
Mini Cola.
Price: ¥33
MINIVITA
Price: ¥33
Awadama (あわ玉).
Price: ¥11
Apple flavor. It becomes bubble in your mouth.
The reason why I opened nicely is because you have a chance of winning another one. See a lottery in the middle? Unfortunately, it says "Hazure" (はずれ). If it says "Atari" (あたり), show it to store staff and get another one.
Donguri gum (どんぐりガム).
Price: ¥11
Soda pop flavor, is called cider (サイダー) in Japan. Also bubbly.
These three have a small lottery in the package.
Yatta! men (ヤッター！メン).
Price: ¥11
Top left in the picture. Used to buy them all the time. Say "Yatta!" when you win.
Kozukai kure ramune (こづかいくれー！ラムネ).
Price: ¥11
More crumbly ramune sweets. Look! I won ¥20.
Scratch otakara kuji (スクラッチお宝くじ).
Price: ¥11
I wish I could tell you how this tastes. Nothing bad about it. Apologize for my lack of words. Anyways, the best part of in the bottom.
Scratch lottery, can win u to ¥100. Cha-ching!
Won ¥20! Again!
Okonomiyaki senbei (お好み焼せんべい).
Price ¥33
There's a special sauce and Okonomiyaki-ly senbei are packed.
Smells like a bit of okonomiyaki. Very crispy and light.
What can I say? That's all I got... I wanted to taste the difference, so I ate the "sauce part" and the rest. It just tastes okonomiyaki if your mouth is stuffed with shrimp and cabbage.
Kabuki age (歌舞伎揚).
Price: ¥65
Fried rice crackers.
Champaign cider mochi (シャンペンサイダー餅).
Price: ¥44
Chewy soda mochi.
Super BIG chocolate (スーパーBIGチョコ).
Price: ¥54
This is big bar of fluffy corn puff covered by peanuts and chocolate.
Megaton sauce katsu! (メガトンソースかつ!).
Price: ¥65
Thin fish slice is fried and sauced.
They are doing really good job making fish taste like meat.
Big katsu (ビッグカツ).
Price: ¥33
Less saucy flavor than sauce katsu. These made me to like fish as a child.
Taratara shitenja ne-yo (タラタラしてんじゃねーよ).
Price: ¥33
Surimi of cod and red pepper. Flavor and smell of red pepper is so good.
Pukupuku tai (ぷくぷくたい).
Price: ¥65
Strawberry flavor.
I always thought package picture is pure exaggeration. I was wrong.
Crispy wafers are filled with fluffy strawberry chocolate. Was the tastiest thing.
Suppai lemon ni goyoujin! (すっぱいレモンにご用心!).
Price: ¥33
Try this with 3 people. There are 3 chewing gum, one of them are extremely sour. No kidding.
Can't tell the difference... Cutting them will tell me...
What the ... Okay, I will eat them all to find out.
Thanks Big bird. Too late now.
At the store, there are hundreds of dagashi are sold and simply did not have time to try and picture them all. Knowing beforehand is one thing, trying without knowing is, I guess, the fun.
Where to buy: "Dagashiya charinko"
There are some stores in Fukuoka, Oita, Kumamoto, and Hiroshima. Mostly, they are located in shopping malls. Click here to see in google map.
The store I went to is in Marinoacity, Fukuoka.
Address: South of Marina side building, 2-12-30, Odo, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka city, Fukuoka
Open hours: 10:00 to 21:00
Marinoa city official site.
Catch a bus from Fukuoka airport, Hakata station, or Tenjin to get there.
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