Beika

{{Short description|Dry confectionery made out of rice}}

{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Beika

| image = Japanese_Senbeis.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = Senbei rice crackers

| alternate_name =

| country = Japan

| region =

| creator =

| type = Higashi

| served =

| main_ingredient = Rice (or wheat flour or barley flour)

| variations = Senbei, arare, kaki no tane, okaki

| calories =

| other =

}}

In Japanese, {{nihongo|beika|米菓}} describes a higashi (dry Japanese confectionery) that is made out of rice. 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.{{cite web | last=LiMarzi | first=Julia | title=Meet the Maker: Sakata Beika | website=Bokksu | date=20 February 2020 | url=https://www.bokksu.com/blogs/news/meet-japanese-snack-maker-sakata-beika?srsltid=AfmBOopjHyzCXg5ZnvQG0Ho34iPC4eA7HjOYVRQQd-5qu-fmi9v5qiX3 | access-date=26 November 2024}}

Major types include:

• senbei
• okaki
• arare
• kaki no tane

Some types of senbei may use wheat flour or barley flour instead of rice flour, for example tansan senbei, nanbu senbei and kawara senbei.