arare

Arare is a staple snack in Hawaii, brought over by Japanese immigrants during the plantation era. In local culture, it is almost universally mixed into a bag or bowl of hot, buttered popcorn—a combination that perfectly balances salty, savory, and crunchy textures.

While the term "arare" is widely understood, many locals also refer to it as "kakimochi" or "mochi crunch" depending on their family background or which island they grew up on. It is appropriate for any casual setting, especially movie theaters, sporting events, or pau hana gatherings.

Brittany had only been working at the Kaunakakai clinic for three weeks, but she was determined to prove she fit in. When Warren and Hoku invited her to a pau hana movie night at Warren's place on the east end, she volunteered to bring the snacks. She marched into Friendly Market Center, grabbed three bags of microwave popcorn, and then confidently asked the cashier where they kept the "uh-RARE."

The cashier just stared at her. Hoku, who had walked in to grab some poke, froze in the produce aisle. "The what?" the cashier asked. Brittany spoke louder, enunciating every syllable. "The uh-RARE. You know, the little soy sauce crackers you guys put in the popcorn? I want to make it authentic."

Hoku slowly backed away behind a display of Moloka'i hot bread, his face burning with secondhand shame. Warren walked in right as Brittany started spelling it out. "A-R-A-R-E. Uh-rare." Warren just shook his head, grabbed a bag of kakimochi from the endcap, handed it to her, and walked out without saying a word. Brittany spent the entire drive to the east end in agonizing silence, realizing exactly why the cashier had looked at her like she had two heads.