My Go-to Onigiri in Japan -

When it comes to Japanese food, onigiri is a very Japanese thing, I’d say. According to Wikipedia, it is called onigiri (おにぎり), omusubi (お結び), or nigirimeshi (握り飯). I usually call it onigiri. Nowadays, I’ve heard that onigiri is getting popular all over the world. For me, personally, onigiri is very convenient, and what is more, it is portable, nutritious, less greasy, and fills your stomach instantly. In retrospect, onigiri wasn’t a popular item sold at supermarkets or any food stores in my childhood. I remember there was an onigiri bento box; it was a part of a bento box, so there was onigiri and other dishes together. Looking back at the time, it is considered that onigiri was a dish that you cooked at home in the 1980s, and not one you bought. I couldn’t have imagined that there would be onigiri on the shelves of every convenience store, here and there now in Japan. Now, it’s safe to say onigiri is one of the main selling items at the “conbini.” If you’re staying in Japan, you might want to go and grab some onigiri. Today, I’m going to share my recommendation. Let’s get started.

1. History

According to Wikipedia, around 1800 B.C., the first onigiri was founded at a village site. Wow, it’s been around for over 2,000 years! As for the name, onigiri (おにぎり=お握り), nigiru (にぎる=握る）means grabbing something to shape it. When you cook onigiri, you grab a ball of rice from the rice cooker, and then you need to shape it by using your palm and fingers in order to make it good. That is why people call it o-nigiri(おにぎり). Since it’s portable, it’s been popular for lunch dishes for people from many walks of life. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, many businesses put effort into making the dried seaweed (海苔: のり：nori) crispy. Why is crispiness so crucial? When you eat freshly cooked onigiri, the texture of the dried seaweed is really crispy. We called it “パリパリ= pari pari, crispy). Crispy seaweed makes the taste savory. However, after a few minutes, the perfect crispiness starts to fade. It gets more soggy. That is what people love. Finally, the businesses invented special packaging, and they widely spread all over the nation.

2. Shape and Fillings

*As for the shape, there are triangle, round, tawara (俵)-shape, and cylinder. The most popular ones are the triangle and the cylinder, and you can see them in a lot of places.

As for fillings, actually, the variation is endless. Grilled salmon = 鮭 (sake), spicy cod roe = 辛子明太子 (karashi mentaiko), tuna with mayonnaise = ツナマヨ (tuna-mayo), salted plum = 梅干し (umeboshi), bonito flakes with soy sauce = おかか・鰹節 (okaka), just to name a few.

What’s the difference between onigiri and sushi?

They’re absolutely different. First of all, sushi uses rice mixed with vinegar and then lets the temperature cool down to a certain level. Secondly, the freshness of ingredients is crucial for sushi. It’s the best time to eat when it is served to you.

Well, we’ve talked enough about that, so let’s move on to my recommendation!

Grilled sausage onigiri = 直火焼ソーセージ (jikabi-yaki sausage)

*One of my favorite onigiri from all the convenience stores in Japan. The combination of thick-sliced pork sausage, teriyaki sauce, garlic mayo, and seaweed is perfect. Especially, the garlic mayo melts on your tongue. I highly recommend it be warmed a little bit in a microwave oven. I swear the taste will be amazing!

A little Tip at Conbini

*This blue arrow is a sign! When you buy onigiri that mentions “温めておいしい= (atatamete oisihii, the taste will be better by warming)” at conbini in Japan, or maybe in the winter season, the staff might ask you if you want them to warm it up. Here’s a template that helps you. The staff might say, “あっためますか？= (attamemasuka? You want me to warm it up?), then you’ll say, “ちょっとだけ = (chotto dake, warm it a little bit ). You don’t have to say how long to warm it up. They know well. Or each conbini has a microwave, so you can warm it up by yourself. Don’t do it for more than 30 seconds; otherwise, it’ll be too hot to handle.

Onigiri salty flavor = 塩おにぎり（shio onigiri)

*Sometimes, simple is best, isn’t it? Every now and then, I’m craving this simple one. You can taste a subtle sense of sweetness in rice with a salty flavor. Each conbini uses rice from famous rice-producing regions, and uses high-quality rice. Whenever I eat this, I remember my grandma used to cook it when I was a kid. It brings back memories of the good old days. I can say, this simple one is the ultimate onigiri, so you might want to try all the conbinis’ shio onigiri.

Natto roll = 納豆巻（natto maki）

*You might be surprised at the complicated packaging at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will be drawn to the crispy seaweed. This ensemble of the bitterness of natto, the sweetness of rice, and the savory seaweed hits the spot.

*It might be a little tricky, though, but you can expect to feel パリパリ (Pari Pari) by following the directions.

Tuna mayo onigiri = シーチキンマヨネーズ（Sea Chicken Mayonaise)

*Sea Chicken is a brand of one of the biggest food manufacturers in Japan. Another company sells it as a tuna mayo onigiri. I like the taste of the combination of savory seaweed, tuna, and tasty mayonnaise. Also, it has an affordable price. I think tuna mayo is a classic menu item. It’s always within the top 10 rankings. If you’re on the fence about choosing a 2nd onigiri, that is my go-to one.

Grilled salmon = しゃけ or 鮭（Both shake and sake are the same fish)

*This onigiri is one of the most popular ones. If you ask someone when it comes to onigiri, eight out of ten people say this one. Additionally, there are fancy menus that use fresh, local ingredients.

Salted plum = 梅干し（umeboshi)

*You can find the letter “梅, (ume),” which means plum. Each convini uses high-quality plums. Taste-wise, you must try it. It has a salty and strong sour taste, but it contains citric acid, so it helps to replenish your body. Whenever I get sick, I turn to umeboshi and porridge. Umeboshi is arguably the oldest filling of onigiri. It’s definitely classic. Don’t miss it.

Spicy cod roe = 辛子明太子 (karashi mentaiko)

**Actually, it’s not that spicy. You can taste the perfect combination of savory cod roe, the sweetness of rice, and crispy seaweed.*

How to open onigiri

*This is a common way to open. First, pull and tear down the film. The tip is pulling the film off the package completely; otherwise, the seaweed retains the film in the next step.

* Second, pull the sides in order. That should be all. No sweat, right?

Yolk with soy sauce onigiri = たまご醤油 (tamago syoyu)

*What is that? Well, I’ll explain it. There are many fans of eating raw eggs with soy sauce on rice, we call it “たまごかけご飯 (tamago kake gohan). It’s delicious to eat subtly sweet rice with soy sauce. Tamago kake gohan is one of the go-to items, it’s safe to say. This onigiri replicates it exactly. If you get a chance, you must try it.

How was that? Onigiri is being sold in a lot of places, not only at conbinis but also at supermarkets and onigiri stands. This attests to how Japanese people love it. Also, you might find that the softness of rice is different depending on the food makers; this is how seriously they are looking for the best onigiri. Personally, I prefer onigiri at 7-Eleven, the rice has enough moisture and good texture. When you visit Japan, you might want to try onigiri. Conbinis are everywhere. I bet you can find your favorite onigiri. Which types of onigiri do you like? A simple one or a super-rich one that has tons of fillings? Thank you for taking the time to read my article to the end. See you soon!

Kazu. K

I worked at a trading company for many years. I live in Tokyo with my wife. Love skiing, traveling, IPAs, wine , X-treme sports, fashion, and learning English and Chinese.

My Go-to Onigiri in Japan

1. History