Japan’s soul food, onigiri, the simple rice ball, is getting a big change. Specialty stores are offering a variety of savory and innovative fillings, such as sauteed meats and even carbonara (a type of pasta).
Rice balls are gradually appearing more on Instagram among Japanese youth. They can be purchased from specialty stores such as Onigiri Konga at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. These stores are always bustling with both Japanese customers and tourists from Europe, America and Asia.
Onigiri Konga offers more than 20 types of rice balls. In addition to traditional fillings like pickled plums and grilled salmon, customers can choose something extra special, such as sujiko salmon roe pockets or rich carbonara, complete with egg yolk, cheese and nuts black pepper. The store uses Koshihikari rice, a premium brand from Niigata Prefecture, to make onigiri.
The rice ball costs more than 50 thousand but is filled with Japanese “toppings”.
Rice balls with fillings like grilled salmon, pickled plum and tsunamayo (tuna salad) cost 400 yen ($2.70) each, while unique fillings like grilled meat or spicy cod roe with cheese Cream apricot costs 454 yen. Customers can add fillings for 50 yen per piece to create their own unique onigiri.
Marumusu’s artistically crafted rice balls are often bought as gifts. Photo: Nikkei.
Onigiri Konga’s secret to making rice balls lies in the “gentle pressing” technique, which helps the rice retain its porosity and “melt” in the mouth. Onigiri Bongo, a shop with a history of more than 60 years in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, will be responsible for preparing rice balls with “traditional deliciousness”, although using modern ingredients.
A skilled onigiri chef will put the rice into a mold, place the filling on top, and then use his hands to skillfully press the molds together to hold the rice together. Each onigiri is made to order and is considered great value for money by visitors. In addition, the rice balls here are almost twice as big as those sold at convenience stores.
“Onigiri is a type of fast food that originated in Japan. We are looking to expand our business overseas from Haneda International Airport, Japan’s gateway to the world,” said a spokesman. said FBI Holdings, which operates onigiri specialty store Onigiri Konga.
Today, onigiri has gone far beyond its humble beginnings. The eye-catching variations are attracting many lovers. Leif.designpark is a design office in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district that operates Marumusu, an onigiri specialty store that sells round rice balls with various fillings and toppings near Gakugei-daigaku Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line in the Meguro district of Tokyo.
Using branded rice from Yamagata Prefecture, including Tsuyahime and Yukiwakamaru, as the main ingredient, the store has about 20 varieties of onigiri with fillings such as grilled pork and eel. Customers looking for a healthy meal while traveling are the core of Marumusu’s business. Artfully presented onigiri cost around 300 yen to 400 yen each and are often given as gifts.
The Gurunavi Research Institute in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, which researches culinary culture, selects the “dish of the year” every year. The theme for 2023 is gourmet rice balls. Gurunavi chose this theme because onigiri with its fancy toppings attracted attention on social media. The use of premium ingredients such as salmon eggs and grilled beef seems to satisfy customers’ desire to treat themselves to “little luxuries”.
According to the Onigiri Association, headquartered in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, the number of onigiri specialty stores is increasing, mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The association says the smaller initial investment required to open an onigiri shop compared to other types of restaurants is one reason for its growing popularity. Onigiri Association has received many requests to open such stores and believes that the number of such stores will continue to increase.
Onigiri Association representative director Yusuke Nakamura said: “Onigiri is a dish that Japan can proudly introduce to the world. We want to create new value and convey the appeal of onigiri to the whole market.” domestically and internationally”.