Japanese-style peanuts, also known as Japanese peanuts or cracker nuts (widely known in the Spanish-speaking world as cacahuates japoneses or maní japonés), are a type of snack food made from peanuts that are coated in a wheat flour dough and then fried or deep-fried. They come in a variety of different flavors. The Mexican version's recipe for the extra-crunchy shell has ingredients such as wheat flour, soy sauce, water, sugar, monosodium glutamate, and citric acid. The snacks are often sold in sealed bags, but can also be found in bulk containers

History

Japanese-style peanuts were created in Mexico during the 1940s by Japanese immigrant Yoshihei Nakatani, the father of Yoshio and Carlos Nakatani. He lost his job after the mother-of-pearl button factory he worked at, named El Nuevo Japón, was forced to close after its proprietor came under suspicion of being a spy for the Empire of Japan.

Nakatani had to find alternatives to provide for his family. He obtained a job at La Merced Market, where he initially sold Mexican candies called muéganos [es]. Later, he developed a new variety of fried snacks he named oranda that he named after the like-named fish. He also created a new version of a snack that reminded him of his homeland, mamekashi (seeds covered with a layer of flour with spices), that he adapted to Mexican tastes. Nakatani sold them in packages decorated with a geisha design made by his daughter Elvia. While his children tended to the family business, Nakatani and his wife Emma sold the snacks on local streets. Sales of the snacks were so successful that Nakatani was able to obtain his own stall at the market. With the help of Nakatani's son Armando, the family established their business under the brand Nipón in the 1950s; the name was registered as a trademark in 1977.

Nakatani never registered the patent for the snack. As a result, various competitors made their own versions of Japanese-style peanuts.

A Japanese version originated in Okinawa, called Takorina, has the image of a Mexican charro in the bag, and it is claimed to be called "Mexican-style peanuts", though the rumour has been disproven.

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  • Rojo27 [he/him]
    ·
    3 hours ago

    Yeah, I get that. Sadly most of my friendships have been like this. I have 2-3 friends that will reach out to me at least once or twice a year, which still isn't great, but at least shows that they care enough to check up on me. The rest have kind of just faded away. Which is what makes it hard for me to really read too much into what going on with this friend. She does reach out once in a while so I know she cares enough to check up on me and when I can I'll check up on her, but I'm just a bit let down that we haven't been able to hang out even though she says she wants to. Like texting is cool and all, but I'm the type of person that prefers interacting in person.

    • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
      ·
      3 hours ago

      My schedule is ass and that can be part of things but I've also been screwed when I took time off for social stuff, like this July I took a day off for a punk show and cause of that whole weirdness with banks that happened and flights not working thst day the touring band couldn't make it and the anarchist DIY punk community putting the show in didn't tell anyone the $20 show was 3 local bands you could see any week for five bucks. I took the day off so it was a $250 show and I got called a Karen for asking where that money was going if not to a the touring band. Most of my friends were through the punk scene and the arrested development got old.