The Secret of Onigiri

The onigiri — a simple triangle of rice, often wrapped in crisp nori — is one of Japan’s most loved everyday foods.

You will find them everywhere: convenience stores, station kiosks, and specialty shops that make nothing else. Each one is made to be eaten by hand, a small parcel of comfort.

The secret is in the rice. Japanese short-grain rice is seasoned lightly with salt and shaped while still warm, so the grains hold together without being pressed hard.

Fillings range from the classics — umeboshi (pickled plum), salted salmon, kombu seaweed — to modern favourites like tuna mayonnaise.

When you visit Japan, try one from a specialty shop rather than only the convenience store. The difference in freshness is remarkable, and at around a few hundred yen, it is one of the most affordable tastes of everyday Japanese life.