Meet the Maker: Sakata Beika

by Julia LiMarzi

Sakata Beika

Established in 1951

Located in Yamagata Prefecture

sakata beika founder

Founder Eiichi Sato

Sakata Beika is dedicated to creating the best snacks rice can make. Since 1951, they’ve been family owned and operated. Located in Sakata City in Yamagata’s Shonai Plain, they’re in the heart of Japan’s rice country. This region is known for its pure water and high-quality rice, perfect for making beika.

Beika is a word used for any dry snack made of rice. Unlike “senbei,” which is more specifically rice crackers and may also include other flours, beika can be more than just crackers.

Located in one of the best rice-growing regions of Japan,

the founder Eiichi Sato, set out to create delicious beika that would share this local crop. His family has continued this mission into today, with the 6th generation President Eiji Sato.

Shonai Plain rice is the base for all of Sakata Beika’s snacks. In their factory, they take it from milled rice to the final product, with every step tailored to bringing out the best qualities of the rice. For Sakata Beika, machines can’t do it all, and they finish each product by hand. The expertise of the craftsmen ensures each snack is up to their high standards.

The expertise of the craftsmen ensures each snack is up to their high standards.

Despite their history and traditions, Sakata Beika continues forging ahead into the future by creating new and unique beika. Take their snack Choco Magatte C’est Bon: Cherry Flavor, for example. Its puffed rice dipped in cherry flavored white chocolate is not exactly traditional, but it sure is delicious! It’s just one of the many ways Sakata Beika is expanding the boundaries of what beika means, and what rice can create.

As part of their efforts to share these local specialties with the world, Sakata Beika has opened its factory to the public. They offer tours of their factory, rice cracker baking and flavoring workshops to share the process of bringing snacks to the table, from rice to packaging. But you don’t need to go on a tour to see Sakata Beika’s passion for their region, history, and primary ingredient, rice. Just try one of their snacks, and you’ll be able to taste it!

Senbei making workshop at Sakata Beika

Sakata Beika's factory cafe: Cafe de Ola

Sakata Beika

Established in
1951

Located in Yamagata

sakata beika founder

Founder Eiichi Sato

Sakata Beika is dedicated to creating the best snacks rice can make. Since 1951, they’ve been family owned and operated. Located in Sakata City in Yamagata’s Shonai Plain, they’re in the heart of Japan’s rice country. This region is known for its pure water and high-quality rice, perfect for making beika.

Beika is a word used for any dry snack made of rice. Unlike “senbei,” which is more specifically rice crackers and may also include other flours, beika can be more than just crackers.

Located in one of the best rice-growing regions of Japan,

the founder Eiichi Sato, set out to create delicious beika that would share this local crop. His family has continued this mission into today, with the 6th generation President Eiji Sato.

Shonai Plain rice is the base for all of Sakata Beika’s snacks. In their factory, they take it from milled rice to the final product, with every step tailored to bringing out the best qualities of the rice. For Sakata Beika, machines can’t do it all, and they finish each product by hand. The expertise of the craftsmen ensures each snack is up to their high standards.

The expertise of the craftsmen ensures each snack is up to their high standards.

Despite their history and traditions, Sakata Beika continues forging ahead into the future by creating new and unique beika. Take their snack Choco Magatte C’est Bon: Cherry Flavor, for example. Its puffed rice dipped in cherry flavored white chocolate is not exactly traditional, but it sure is delicious! It’s just one of the many ways Sakata Beika is expanding the boundaries of what beika means, and what rice can create.

As part of their efforts to share these local specialties with the world, Sakata Beika has opened its factory to the public. They offer tours of their factory, rice cracker baking and flavoring workshops to share the process of bringing snacks to the table, from rice to packaging. But you don’t need to go on a tour to see Sakata Beika’s passion for their region, history, and primary ingredient, rice. Just try one of their snacks, and you’ll be able to taste it!

Senbei making workshop at Sakata Beika

Sakata Beika's factory cafe: Cafe de Ola

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