The Strange World of Japanese Rice Krispy Making Videos

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure.

As I’ve said before on this blog, Japanese cereal selection is generally limited, though there are sometimes some strange additions to the half-aisle dedicated to it at our local grocery store. The other day, while looking through the normal granola selection, I was surprised to see a familiar face:

They have Cocoa Krispies here! Known as “Choco Krispy,” they’re pretty much the same as Cocoa Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles in America, and the box is graced with “Koko-kun,” a monkey mascot similar to the one used for Cocoa Krispies in the US when I was a kid. “Koko,” is of course cocoa, and “kun” means “cute little guy,” so roughly translated, he is “cute little chocolate guy.”

The box also says they are “Saku Saku,” which is the Japanese version of “Snap, crackle, and pop.” I took the box home, and by golly, it said Saku Saku at me as I gobbled up that chocolatey goodness.

After my wife and I had enjoyed our treat, she had something to add:

“Japanese Rice Krispy making is very fun,” she said. “Have you seen?”

As is tradition in our household, I had no clue what she was talking about, so she got out her phone and showed me.

Apparently, in Japan, Rice Krispies (I shall be referring to them by this name and by the singular “Rice Krispy” throughout, but let’s not get bogged down in brand names and trademarks and what have you. You know what I mean) are produced through an artisan process that is both a traditional craft and also very badass.

It seems the general method involves an old guy bending over a machine that goes “Boom”in a big explosion, and then he stirs it around or something as smoke billows.

“They are always very serious,” said Eriko. “They don’t know that this is cool.”

Yes, it seems this badass method for making cereal has gone largely under the radar because the folks doing it don’t realize how awesome it is. But now you know. Puffed rice cereal is nothing to be trifled with. It’s a quirky hipster artisan pursuit, and also a sick dangerous kaboom anarchist statement of independence.

Don’t ask me why they make it this way, because I don’t know. Don’t ask me how much of it is produced like this, because I don’t know. Don’t as me anything, because I don’t know. All I know is these videos are great.

I salute you, Japanese Rice Krispy producers. You are awesome.

Sadly, Japan doesn’t have the crazy flavors that have found their way to America, and my wife has never tried a Rice Krispies Treat, something I plan to rectify the next time we are in the states because all humans should get to try marshmallow squares at least 1,000 times in their lives.