芋國屋 (Imokuniya)’s wakeari hoshi-imo (dried sweet potatoes) 500g (Beniharuka) is sold on Rakuten Ichiba, where you can choose between 500g of hoshi-imo alone and options that add 200g of dried fruit. “Wakeari” (“imperfect/irregular”) appears in the product name, and the reason, given in the product page’s description images, is variation in shape and color and differences in texture from piece to piece. In this article we have organized the product page and publicly available reviews into five points: contents, storage method, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews. Items we could not confirm on the product page, such as allergen labeling and gift support, are marked as not confirmed.
What We Confirmed
- Contents and serving size guide
- Storage method and shelf life
- Ingredients and allergen labeling
- Suitable as a gift?
- Trends in publicly available reviews
Basic Information
This table transcribes what is stated on the product page. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
| Product Name | 芋國屋 Dried Sweet Potatoes (干し芋), Wakeari, 500g (Beniharuka)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page. The product name shown on the Rakuten product page also includes coupon and promotional terms, which are omitted in this article |
|---|---|
| Name | Dried sweet potatoes (干し芋)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page (accessed October 1, 2026) |
| Contents | 500g of hoshi-imo. Options that add 200g of dried fruit (one of mandarin orange, apple, jujube, or kiwi) are also available. We found no listing of how many servings it makes, so this is not confirmedSource: same as above |
| What Changes by Selection | Choose from 5 options in total: 500g of hoshi-imo alone, or 500g of hoshi-imo plus 200g of dried fruit (mandarin orange, apple, jujube, or kiwi). This article centers on the 500g hoshi-imo-only optionSource: same as above |
| Reason for “Wakeari” | The description images on the product page explain variation in shape and color (from neat shapes to small trimmings, and from golden to darkened colors) and differences in texture (from soft parts to fibrous parts)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page (description images; accessed October 1, 2026) |
| Storage Method | The listing says that after receiving it you should always divide it into portions and refrigerate or freeze it. How long it keeps when frozen is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page (accessed October 1, 2026) |
| Best-Before Date | The listing gives about 21 days from the delivery dateSource: same as above |
| Country of Origin | Sweet potato (Beniharuka). The country-of-origin field lists Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki PrefectureSource: same as above |
| Place of Processing | The processor is listed as 株式会社 芋國屋 (Imokuniya Co., Ltd.) in Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture. We found no listing of the place where processing is carried out, so this is not confirmedSource: same as above |
| State / How to Eat (Whether Heating Is Required) | Not confirmed (we found no seller guidance on whether heating is required on the product page) |
| Thawing Method | Not confirmed (we found no seller guidance on how to thaw) |
| Shipping | The description images on the product page say it ships by Nekopos (tracked mail-slot delivery; delivery date and time cannot be specified; arrival as early as the next day). Whether this applies to all options is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page (description images; accessed October 1, 2026) |
| Manufacturer | Not confirmed (we found no manufacturer field on the product page. 株式会社 芋國屋 (Imokuniya Co., Ltd.) in Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture, is listed as the processor) |
| Shop | 芋國屋 (Rakuten Ichiba) |
Prices are not listed here because they change. Please check the current price and stock availability at the link above.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
The ingredients field of the Rakuten Ichiba product page lists “sweet potato (Beniharuka).” Within what we could check, we found no allergen labeling. This item is not confirmed. The options that include dried fruit have a separate ingredient label for the dried fruit (this section covers the hoshi-imo listing). If you are concerned about allergies, please ask the shop before buying, or check the label on the product when it arrives.
Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 1, 2026)
Five Things to Check Before Buying
| What to Check | For This Product | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Contents / serving size | 500g of hoshi-imo. Options that add 200g of dried fruit are also available. No serving size guide is listed, so this is not confirmed. The reason for “wakeari” in the product name is described as variation in shape and color and differences in texture from piece to piece | Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 2. Storage method and shelf life | Best-before date is about 21 days from the delivery date. After receiving it, divide it into portions and refrigerate or freeze it, according to the listing. How long it keeps when frozen and the thawing method are not confirmed | Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 3. Ingredients and allergen labeling | The ingredient is listed as sweet potato (Beniharuka). No allergen labeling was found, so this is not confirmed | Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 4. Suitable as a gift? | We could not confirm support for noshi, wrapping, or message cards from the product page. The listing mentions Nekopos delivery, and says a delivery date and time cannot be specified | Rakuten Ichiba product page (gift settings and description images) |
| 5. Review trends | The Rakuten customer reviews average 4.62 / 8,336 reviews. We read the first 60 reviews in the standard sort order and 30 each of the 1★ and 2★ reviews, 120 in total. This is a tally of what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. The substance of the trends is summarized below in “What Public Reviews Say” | Rakuten customer reviews (“Minna no Review”) (accessed October 1, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
On the Rakuten Ichiba product page, we could not confirm support for noshi (gift wrapping label), wrapping, or message cards. The product name shown on the Rakuten product page includes the word “gift,” but we found no mention of noshi inscriptions or a gift box. The product description mentions a related item, “gift wrapping-only item,” but we were unable to check what it covers. If you are considering it as a gift, please check the following before buying.
- Whether noshi and wrapping are supported (we could not confirm any statement of support on the product page)
- The description images say it ships by Nekopos (mail-slot delivery) and that a delivery date and time cannot be specified. Does that suit how the recipient receives deliveries?
- The listing says to divide it into portions and refrigerate or freeze it after receiving it, so consider whether that is a reasonable amount of work and fridge or freezer space for the recipient
What Public Reviews Say
Below we have organized the Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by theme. The rating figures are as of the time viewed and may change afterward.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Date Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.62 / 5 | 8,336 reviews | October 1, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 6,199 / 4★ 1,521 / 3★ 330 / 2★ 131 / 1★ 155 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 1, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default (standard) sort order (posted October 2025 to September 2026; latest September 2026), plus 30 each filtered to 1★ and 2★ (posted February 2024 to July 2026), 120 in total. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. The count for each theme is an approximate figure counted by eye (give or take about 2).
What Reviewers Praise
Sticky, soft texture
Of the 60 reviews in the standard sort order, 19 mentioned that it felt moist, sticky, and soft. All were 4★ to 5★ posts, from October 2025 to September 2026.
Natural sweetness
Of the 60 reviews in the standard sort order, 20 mentioned that the sweetness felt natural and simple.
Handy as a snack
14 posts said they ate it as a snack, for children or for themselves. The product page has no guidance on how to feed it or what ages it suits, and this article does not give any either.
Generous amount
8 posts said the 500g amount was large and satisfying.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 1, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Hardness and dryness
Of the 60 reviews rated 1★ and 2★, 28 (17 at 1★ and 11 at 2★; 27 of them posted within the last two years) mentioned that it felt hard, or dry without the sticky texture. There were also 2 among the 60 in the standard sort order. Including posts that overlap with the same complaint, 21 posts (13 at 1★ and 8 at 2★) mentioned a difference between deliveries, saying it was soft up to last time but not this time.
Appearance and size differ from the photos
Of the 60 reviews rated 1★ and 2★, 19 (12 at 1★ and 7 at 2★; all 19 posted within the last two years) mentioned that it differed from the impression given by the product photos, such as darkened pieces, white powder, and many small trimmings.
How to check: The reason for “wakeari,” variation in shape and color, is summarized in the “Reason for ‘Wakeari'” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Complaints about spoilage, foreign matter, and the like
Of the 30 reviews rated 1★, 5 (all 5 posted within the last two years, February 2025 to July 2026) raised complaints about the condition of the product. The breakdown is 2 that said the smell or darkening made them uneasy about the condition of the product, 2 that said they felt foreign matter was mixed in, and 1 that mentioned the smell transferring to the box. All of these are individual buyers’ impressions; we have not checked the condition of the product ourselves, and they may not reflect the overall trend.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 1, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- You want to try hoshi-imo in a 500g amount
- You want to choose it knowing that shape, color, and texture will vary
- You want to compare options, including those with dried fruit
- You can divide it into portions after receiving it and store it refrigerated or frozen
Who Should Be Careful
- You want to check allergen labeling before choosing (no labeling found; not confirmed)
- You want to check how long it keeps when frozen and how to thaw it before buying (not confirmed)
- You want noshi or wrapping, or a delivery with a specified date and time (no statement of support; the listing says a date and time cannot be specified)
- You prioritize softness and uniform shape and color (reviews point to hardness and appearance)
Prices, stock, shipping fees, and delivery dates are subject to change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 1, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before purchasing.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- The contents are 500g of hoshi-imo (options that add 200g of dried fruit are also available). The best-before date is about 21 days from the delivery date, and the listing says to divide it into portions and refrigerate or freeze it after receiving it
- Some reviews praise the sticky texture and natural sweetness, while others point to hardness and variation in appearance (among the 120 we read). The reason for “wakeari” is described as variation in shape and color and differences in texture
- We could not confirm allergen labeling, how long it keeps when frozen, the thawing method, or support for noshi and wrapping, and shipping is described as Nekopos, for which a delivery date and time cannot be specified
Related Pages
This article organizes information publicly available on retail and review sites. Product details such as contents, storage method, and ingredients may change. Please check the seller’s listing for the latest information.
Comments on taste or quality are summarized from third-party posts cited with their source, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluation. Our approach to writing articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 1, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Ichiba “芋國屋” product page, Rakuten customer reviews (“Minna no Review”), Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
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