Hanpen
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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, 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 half (半 han?) 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.