Hanpen

nihongo|Hanpen|半片 is a white, square shaped surimi product with a soft, mild taste. It is believed to have been invented during the Edo period in Japan by a cook, nihongo|"Hanpei"|半平 of Suruga, and the dish is named for him. Another theory suggests that because it is triangle shaped and appears to have been cut in half from a square, it is a nihongo|half|半|han nihongo|piece|片|pen. It can be eaten as an ingredient in a oden or soup. It can also be fried or broiled.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, whole sardines are used and the resulting product has a bluish-gray color. This is called "Kuro Hanpen", literally "black hanpen".

In Kikaida, the private investigator, named "Hanpei", is always mistakenly called "Hanpen" by Masaru.