Onigiri Japanese Rice Balls!!

● History of Onigiri in Japan

Onigiri is a simple food. Steamed white rice shaped into a triangle, with just a little bit of salt, stuffed with your favorite fillings and wrapped with dried seaweed. It’s a staple in any household in Japan where kids are practically raised on Onigiri. The benefits and qualities of Onigiri have been recognized outside of Japan in recent years, and Onigiri–or Omusubi or Rice Balls–is a growing favorite around the world♪

Top qualities of Onigiri are probably the ease of handling and its health benefits. And, despite its simplicity, a variety of ingredients can be used, which means it can cater to a wide range of dietary preferences and restrictions.

The history of Onigiri began some 2,000 years ago. The first Onigiri was discovered in the Yayoi Period (300 BC – 250 AD). Back then, steamed rice was shaped more like a cone with a pointy end. The shape was closer to an isosceles triangle with two sides of equal length, rather than today’s equilateral triangle Onigiri, where all three sides have the same length. Based on the shape of it, it is believed the first Onigiri was an offering of some sort.

Later during the Heian Period (794 – 1185 AD), Onigiri was seen at celebrations and festivals, and it spread across Japan as the soldiers carried them as portable rations. In the Edo Period (1603 – 1868 AD) and the Meiji Period (1868 – 1912 AD), Onigiri began to appear in boxed lunches as well as school lunches. After it became a common commodity found at convenience stores in 1978, Onigiri became essential to the Japanese diet.

With such long history since the ancient times, Onigiri is close to the Japanese hearts, and it’s considered by many as a “Japanese soul food”. In 2013, UNESCO registered it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognizing that Onigiri and washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) is “associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature” and is passed down through the generations as traditional customs.

● Everyone’s Favorite

Let’s look at the various flavors and ingredients used in Onigiri, one of the reasons why Onigiri has been everyone’s favorite over many years♪

While umeboshi (pickled plums), salmon, kombu, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), tuna mayo, and mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) are traditional fillings used in Onigiri, modern flavors offer a mix of traditional and new and include mentaiko & cream cheese, ume mackerel, takuan mayo (pickled daikon radish & mayo), gyusuji (beef sinew), grilled miso & cheese, and egg yolk & soboro (flavored ground chicken).

▲Yaki-Onigiri, aka Grilled Onigiri, is flavored with soy sauce.

▲Onigirazu, Onigiri sandwiches with Spam and Japanese egg omelet.

In addition to the wide range of fillings, Onigiri comes in various forms as well–Yaki-Onigiri is flavored with soy sauce and grilled over open flame, and Onigirazu (literally “no Rice Ball”) are like Onigiri sandwiches like the one pictured above, made with Spam and Japanese egg omelet.
As simple as it is, anyone can easily make Onigiri while it continues to evolve with new ingredients and creative ideas.

● Onigiri Shops Around Osaka Metro

To get your hands on the ever-evolving Onigiri, the easiest way is to visit one of the Onigiri specialty shops that have popped up around town. They usually offer not only standard Onigiri flavors but also their original recipes that are both exclusive and top-notch. Here are couple of the best Onigiri specialty shops on Osaka Metro♪

┣ Onigiri Specialty Shop MUSUBIYA at Tanimachi 6-chome Station

Onigiri Specialty Shop, MUSUBIYA, is located a short 2-minute walk from Tanimachi 6-chome Station (Exit No. 6) on Osaka Metro’s Tanimachi or Tsurumiryokuchi Line. This shop used to specialize in rice–needless to say, they use top-quality rice for their Onigiri rice balls!

Here’re some of their Onigiri I’ve brought home. Don’t they look beautiful♡
From left, we have here gyusuji, mentaiko & salmon, tuna mayo, soboro, and shio-musubi (salt). That’s a wide range of flavors and I don’t even know which one to start with. Each is priced at 180 to 300 yen. Which ones would you like to try?

These two have rare flavors– the one on the left is taku mayo, a combination of takuan pickled daikon radish and mayo, and the one on the right is asari clams.
The crunchy takuan goes well with rich mayonnaise creating an addictive flavor, while the asari Onigiri is imbued with the umami of the shellfish that matches the white rice perfectly.

Besides the top quality rice balls, MUSUBIYA has on its shelf rare food products local to Okayama Prefecture, hand-selected twice weekly by the owner who loves Michi-no-eki, literally “roadside stations” where local products are sold by area farmers/merchants. Among other things, locally produced rice and produce, soba and udon noodles, and regional snacks are sold here.

I picked out two types of snacks that caught my eye: Pearl barley chocolate and MOMO DROP’S (peach candy), both with a nice packaging. The perfect combination of the bitterness of chocolate and the light texture of pearl barley as well as the gentle sweetness of white peaches were a nice follow up for my stomach filled with two delicious Onigiri♪

┣ Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya at Showacho Station

Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya is located about 8 minutes on foot from Osaka Metro Midosuji Line’s Showacho Station. The simple yet stylish storefront is one of the modern looking rowhouses that fit nicely in a residential area.

The founder/owner of Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya is a former nurse who wants many people to enjoy a good life in good health.

Carefully created by a healthcare professional, Onigiri at Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya contains ingredients that help regulate intestinal functions, like fiber filled pearl barleys, pickled veggies full of lactic acid bacteria, and blue backed fish which reduces inflammation.

Some Onigiri are not just healthy but also colorful, made with various flavored rice cooked with meat and savory vegetables like pearl barley, edamame & hijiki seaweed, salmon & pickled Nozawana vegetable, and ume & hijiki seaweed☆彡

Highly recommended from the menu at Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya is Teishoku, the set lunch menu that comprises of Onigiri, a small side dish, pickled vegetables, and miso soup.
Onigiri made with a brand rice specially selected by the owner each month and a bowl of hot miso soup are quintessentially Japanese and super healthy♪

▲Sakura Teishoku, 850 yen (incl. tax)

You can choose your favorite ingredients for the two Onigiri in your Teishoku lunch. I chose ume & mackerel and salmon.
Ume (plums) had a gentle sweetness of honey which, mixed in with the salted mackerel, created a nice balance of sweet and salty. In salmon Onigiri, the umami of salmon and the refreshing Yuzu citrus pepper (a secret ingredient!) created an excellent harmony♡ I also appreciated that these Onigiri had substantial filling inside in addition to the topping.

Other flavors include ground meat with miso, mentaiko, cream cheese & katsuobushi, etc. You won’t be disappointed on your visit♪

Onigiri Time Onigiri-ya is located close to Nagai Park, making it easy to pick up some Onigiri on your way to a nice picnic at one of Osakan’s favorite parks.

● Have an Onigiri Picnic

Easily transportable, Onigiri makes a quick and easy lunch or snack. It’s tasty and healthy, and it makes your life easier. When you’re out on a picnic under the blue sky on a sunny day, all you need is tasty Onigiri♪
Make sure to grab your favorite Onigiri at a Onigiri specialty shop and enjoy an Onigiri picnic when you are in Osaka!