[Suzuka City] Palm-sized Onigiris Made with Local Ingredients! "MAINE at ONIGIRI"

​MAINE at ONIGIRI is an onigiri (rice ball) specialty restaurant in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, located along a road lined with residential areas and major shopping centers. Using ingredients from Suzuka City as much as possible, you can enjoy freshly made onigiri from a selection of about 40 varieties.

It is located about an hour's drive from Nagoya. The landmark is the glass-walled door and stylish exterior reminiscent of a café. The open atmosphere makes it easy to come in alone, and takeout is also available.

The restaurant can be used for as little as a single onigiri. There are 18 seats in total, including 3 seats for 4 people and 6 counter seats. In addition to the modern atmosphere, K-pop music is played, creating a space that will make you wonder, "Is this really an onigiri shop? The space is so spacious that you may be surprised to find it is really an onigiri shop. However, once seated, the tables are at a comfortable height, allowing you to concentrate on eating. The interior is attractive because it removes the conventional image of an onigiri shop and allows you to fully enjoy the rice.

Six months after opening in November 2023, MAINE at ONIGIRI is a popular restaurant supported by women of all ages. We asked the owner, Mr. Kawade, about the secret of its popularity and her commitment to onigiri and space.

*Information from the time of coverage in April 2024.

"I want people to eat more rice."
Starting an onigiri shop as a result of the rice situation

The owner, Mr. Kawade (left), and his wife, Mai (right), who makes the onigiri at the store.

Mr. Kawade's family is rice farmers, so he has had a close relationship with rice since he was a child, and he says he was worried about the decline in level of rice consumption.

Mr. Kawade:"Rice consumption is now less than half of what it was at its peak. I think the reason for the decline is that women aren't eating rice. Perhaps the reasons are carbohydrate restriction, dieting, and the shift to bread. So I thought the first thing we should do is get women to try rice, and we designed the interior to make it easy for women to visit even alone."

The meaning of MAINE is "MAI (from rice (mai) and owner's wife's name)" and "INE (rice)". The logo is based on the triangle of an onigiri.

– When I think of onigiri shops, I think of a Japanese image. MAINE at ONIGIRI has a more urban feel to it.

Mr. Kawade:"I was conscious of creating an urban atmosphere that is not typical of Suzuka. In fact, I visited various onigiri shops in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, etc. to do research. Of course, I didn't just look at the interior design, I also looked at the onigiri menu, weight, price, and other data from the shop to the convenience store. There is currently said to be a onigiri boom, but my main goal is simply to get more people to eat rice. From about two years ago, I thought that if I were to open a restaurant, I would like to use rice."

– What is the appeal of rice to you, Mr. Kawade?

Mr. Kawade:"I think rice is best suited to the Japanese stomach. I grew up eating rice myself, and if you're concerned about your health, rice is the only choice! I'm also a bit of a health freak, so that may have something to do with it (laughs)."

- So MAINE at ONIGIRI is notable for its décor and healthy menu!

Mr. Kawade:"We offer to-go, but I would like people to eat in the restaurant. I think that if you can eat it at its most delicious, you will be able to appreciate the goodness of the rice."

The reason for sticking to ingredients of Suzuka
Contribution to the local community

The store is located 15 minutes by car from the Suzuka Circuit, where the F1 Japanese Grand Prix is held. "We want to attract customers from outside the prefecture to Suzuka, as it is a tourist destination. We want to contribute to the local community, so we advocate local production for local consumption," says Mr. Kawade.

From here, we'd like to introduce the Suzuka brand ingredients that we they in our restaurant.

Mizuho Country Kawade Farm "The Sparkle of Mizuho (Mizuho no Kagayaki)"

Mizuho no Kuni Kawade Farm's "Mizuho no Kagayaki" rice has large grains and a striking shine. It doesn't harden easily even when cooled, and has a chewy, satisfying texture. Mr. Kawade says that this is actually a rare variety even in Suzuka City.

Mr. Kawade:"The reason we decided on Mizuho no Kagayaki is because it is rare. There are many rice farmers in Suzuka City, and most of them, including my parents', grow koshihikari rice. So, I thought that if I offered the koshihikari rice that the people of Suzuka eat, it would be the same as the rice I eat at home. That's why we decided on Kawade Farm, which grows rare varieties. I would like the people of Suzuka to rediscover the good things about their hometown by having them try Mizuho no Kagayaki."

Yamazaki Farm's "Gensen Yamazaki Pork"

Pork is made from "Gensen Yamazaki Pork," which is raised by drinking natural hot spring water from Sakura Pork, which is representative of Mie Prefecture, and is used at MAINE at ONIGIRI for pork soup, meat rolls, and meat soboro, and is characterized by its tender meat and sweet fatty meat.

The son of the president of Yamazaki Farm has been a friend of Mr. Kawade's since he was a small child. When he decided to open a restaurant, he said, "If it's meat, it's Yamazaki Farm.

New seaweed from Okedome Suisan / eggs from Suzuran Farm

The nori used is from Okedome Suisan, a company that produces new nori. Its fine fibers allow it to wrap the rice softly and bring out the flavor of any ingredient.

In addition, Suzuran Farm's eggs have a higher nutritional value of vitamins than normal eggs. We fell in love with the high quality eggs and decided to select the best ingredients after getting along well with the producers.

Recommended for health-conscious people!
Popular menu items at MAINE at ONIGIRI

MAINE at ONIGIRI offers around 40 different types of onigiri, ranging from classics to more unique varieties.

Among them, we will introduce some popular menu items and the set menu that we had!

No.1 Popularity! Egg yolk marinated in soy sauce

I was amazed by the firmness and luster of the egg yolk! Egg yolk marinated in soy sauce (single item ￥300)

The popular menu item is "Egg Yolk Marinated in Soy Sauce." The moment you put it in your mouth, the milky texture unique to egg yolk spreads, the aroma of soy sauce wafts through your nose, and the sweetness stands out. There is half an egg yolk in the visible part and 1.5 egg yolks inside, making it a truly luxurious dish. It's a must-try when you come to MAINE at ONIGIRI!

Incidentally, all of MAINE at ONIGIRI's onigiri are characterized by being slightly hard and not too fluffy. They are easy to hold in the hand and can be eaten from anywhere.

Mr. Kawade:"Onigiri can only be made in this shape. We squeeze it, but don't squeeze it too tightly. We aim for it to be as small as you can hold in your hand!"

Limited quantity! Gensen Yamazaki Pork Meat Wrap

Many people are becoming fans! Gensen Yamazaki Pork Meat Roll is limited to 10 pieces per day (¥450 each)

"I don't see this often in onigiri shops in the city, so I definitely wanted to have it in my restaurant!" said Kawade, who took a lot of time to come up with the Gensen Yamazaki Pork Meat Roll.

In order not to damage the high-quality Gensen Yamazaki pork, the piping hot rice is cooled a little before being rolled into balls! The moment you bite into it, the meat juice and sweet sauce mix in your mouth, and the black pepper adds an addictive flavor. The rice is also chewy and very satisfying.

Mr. Kawade:"Some of our regular customers order all three sets of meat rolls. We have many repeat customers, which makes all the trial and error worthwhile.

Choose from 4 set menus to suit your appetite

Price range that makes it easy to try ingredients you've never tried before or unique combination of ingredients you're curious about.

MAINE at ONIGIRI offers a full set menu for those who want to eat a solid meal in the restaurant. With a choice of about 40 different types of rice balls (additional charges apply depending on the rice ball you choose), it is more economical than eating a single item.

The photo shows Set C, 950 yen (I added the egg yolk pickled in soy sauce and minced meat for an additional 50 yen, so the total was 1,050 yen). I was full!

This time I tried the Set C (only available in the restaurant), which is 40 yen cheaper than the regular price. If you order a set menu, I recommend the one with the "Bite-sized dashimaki tamago (rolled omelette)" and "Pork miso soup," which reflect the owner's health-conscious attitude.

The dashimaki tamago is not too sweet or too salty, but has a slightly gentle taste with a hint of dashi broth. The secret to the fluffy texture is the use of a copper frying pan. We didn't want to skimp on the dashimaki tamago either. The taste of dashimaki tamago made with a Teflon pan and a copper frying pan is overwhelmingly different. At first, I had a hard time handling the copper frying pan, but I couldn't compromise," says Mr. Kawade.

Pork miso soup features a creamy taste made with a combination of miso and other ingredients. The soup contains about 10 kinds of vegetables, including those grown at Mr. Kawade's home, in the hopes that the customers will "eat good amount of vegetables". This pork miso soup makes you realize, "I am eating something that my body enjoys".

All of the menu items introduced are available for to-go (set menus are not available). All you have to do is write down your desired item on a piece of paper at the store and wait for it to be freshly made! For an additional charge, we can also wrap individual rice balls, which would make a nice little gift. By the way, orders are also accepted by reservation on line. If you make a reservation by 6:00 p.m. the day before, you can receive your order smoothly, which is recommended for those who are in a hurry or want to shorten the waiting time! For more information, please refer to the following Instagram.

In the future we will also have hearty menu items!

It's only been six months since MAINE at ONIGIRI opened. We spoke to Mr. Kawade about his honest thoughts and future plans.

– You currently have a lineup of 42 different items, but do you plan to add more to the menu?

Mr. Kawade:"We're planning to add more seasonal menu items in the future. We also plan to offer rice bowl dishes, and the menu has already been finalized."

– Why rice bowls?

Mr. Kawade:"To get lots of people, regardless of gender, to eat rice, we need to increase the number of hearty menu items. Thankfully, we have a lot of women coming to our restaurant, but on the other hand, we get feedback from men saying, 'I'd like to go, but it's hard to get in because of the atmosphere' (laughs). The reason I opened my restaurant is because I want people to eat more rice. I'd be happy if offering rice bowls would make our restaurant an option for men as well."

MAINE at ONIGIRI's onigiris are made with local Suzuka ingredients and condensed into palm-sized pieces. When you're feeling a bit hungry, when you want a hearty meal, or when you want to give something as a souvenir, be sure to drop by depending on the occasion!