Onigiri

Recently, I participated in "Onigiri Action", a fundraiser sponsored by Table for Two that ended on Wednesday, November 20th. For every picture of Onigiri posted to their website or #onigiriaction on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, Table for Two donated 5 meals to children in need- and with almost 300,000 Onigiri photos from around the world, 8,000 warm meals are being provided to children for a year! Learn more at https://onigiri-action.com/en/.

This made me wonder:

What are Onigiri, and what makes them so important to Japanese culture?

Here is some information I presented to my school's Japanese Culture Club for our Onigiri meeting and to prepare us for the lunchtime Onigiri Action event we put on.

Onigiri「おにぎり」

What are Onigiri?

Not 鬼義理 (oni-giri), demon obligation, Onigiri is the Japanese word for “rice ball”. They’re an easy to carry meal, having a rice + side dish (the filling), which gives you enough energy to finish the day. They’re made for many occasions, including school excursions, Hanami (flower viewing), picnics, hiking, and school sports days. 

Onigiri are also described as “like hot dogs for New Yorkers” or “Japan’s first fast food”, which helps illustrate the importance of Onigiri in more western terms.

Onigiri can also be called おむすび (o-musubi) or 握り飯 (nigiri-meshi) depending on the dialect- in Tokyo and Kanagawa, people generally say Onigiri, but in Kanto and Tokaido, Omusubi is more common.

握る (nigiru) means “to squeeze/mold”

The History of Onigiri 「おにぎりの歴史」

Not the tastiest-looking onigiri, but at least it's the oldest!

This is the first evidence of Onigiri to be excavated. It's carbon-dated back to 2,000 years ago, and we can tell it was an Onigiri due to its finger imprints from being molded into a more ball-like shape. It definitely doesn't look the tastiest, since it's completely carbonized now!

If you look closely, you can see the
travelers eating onigiri!

In the middle of the Edo period, Genroku (1688-1704), Onigiri began to evolve. Seaweed became more accessible to common people, so Onigiri started looking more like the Onigiri we know today- wrapped in seaweed! This worked perfectly in an age without plastic wrap, and it allowed Onigiri to be eaten without having sticky hands afterwards.

Volunteers distributing Onigiri at a shelter in Taharu
Town after a volcanic explosion in January of 2011

Onigiri has remained a key part of Japanese culture until today. In recent tragedies like the 2011 tsunami, Onigiri played a large part in Japan's revival- as a staple in shelters and nostalgic comfort food, Onigiri was like a symbol of hope.
Onigiri last very long, since they're salted, and can last even longer with Umeboshi filling. Because of this, many families would make Onigiri in preparation for the large blackouts after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. 

Onigiri Now 「今のおにぎり」

How to Make Onigiri 「おにぎりの作り方」

1. Wet and then rub salt over your hands, so that rice won't get stuck to them.
1.5. (Optional) If you have any fillings, make sure to put it inside the rice!
2. Mold the rice into a triangle or ball by holding it together until it stays in the desired shape.
3. Wrap your rice with seaweed
                This could be connecting the bottom two sides, or wrapping the entire thing!
4. Sprinkle any toppings on, and then enjoy! 

Types of Onigiri 「おにぎりの種類」

Umeboshi- unripe plum pickled in salt. It has disinfecting properties and wards off bacteria, so it’s popular in bento lunches!

Salmon- generally salted and/or flaked, considered a good combination with rice and nori.

Mentaiko- cod roe pickled in salt and flavored with ingredients like chili peppers.

Yaki-onigiri- flavored with soy sauce then grilled, usually no filling.

Tuna Mayonnaise- often used in sandwiches, but it’s also good with rice! Popular with all ages.

No filling- some onigiri are simple and just lightly salted.

On the outside, you might find nori (seaweed), a thin omelet, furikake (fish flakes), grated yam, or sesame seeds!

Specialty Onigiri 「特別なおにぎり」

Niku-maki- from Miyazaki prefecture, this onigiri is wrapped in soy sauce marinated pork, cooked, and then (sometimes) wrapped with lettuce. Cheese, sesame seeds, and mayo are good topping choices!

Boiled egg- a full, flavored, soft-boiled egg is included inside. Bursts when you bite into it! Can be bought at many convenience stores.

Omurice- a thin omelet or crepe is wrapped around ketchup-flavored rice. This type of Onigiri is based off of a dish called “omurice”, which is an omelet with ketchup-flavored rice inside instead of cheese + meat.

More information on Onigiri

Onigiri can be found anywhere from コンビニ (convenience stores), to train stations, to restaurants (like conveyor belt sushi restaurants)! There's even an Onigiri Society in Tokyo- I think their definition of Onigiri and Onigiri Charter are pretty interesting, so you might want to check their website out at https://www.onigiri.or.jp/onigirisociety! 

Have you ever had an Onigiri before? Now that you know about Onigiri and why they're important, try making one, and maybe try to participate in Onigiri Action next year!