[Kita-ku, Nagoya] Onigiri Specialty Store "Namihei" - Luxurious and Full of Carefully Selected Ingredients!

​Onigiri Specialty Store Namihei is located along the Yanagihara-gai shopping street in Kita-ku, Nagoya, and has been a favorite of locals since it opened in February 2023.

Approximately 30 types of onigiri are available in store, ranging from standard fillings to hearty burger-type onigiri.

To-go is available, and there is also an dine-in space so you can take your time savoring your freshly made onigiri. Great value sets such as morning breakfast and lunch boxes are also popular.

This time, we spoke with Namihei's manager, Ono, about his commitment to onigiri and recommended products.

Onigiri Specialty Store Namihei Manager, Shota Ono

A specialty store with a wide selection of onigiris made with handmade ingredients

Namihei is a specialty shop where you can purchase individually handmade onigiri. Not only can you take them out, but there is also a dining area inside the store so you can enjoy your meal at your leisure.

There are counter seats and table seats, so it is convenient for families and those with children. In addition to onigiris, there are plenty of side dishes such as tamagoyaki (rolled omelette) and fried chicken. The shop opens at 8am, so many people buy it for breakfast or for their company lunches.

Onigiri is a dish enjoyed by people of all ages, from small children to the elderly, making this a popular restaurant frequented by people of all ages, including elderly locals, working families, students, and families with small children.

There is a bus stop right in front of the shop, and Meijo Park Station on Nagoya Municipal Subway Meijo Line is within walking distance. We also recommend taking the onigiris out to enjoy cherry blossom viewing or a picnic.

We are proud of our rice balls filled with carefully selected ingredients!

Namihei's onigiris are made with great care, from the salt to the seaweed, rice and ingredients, with attention paid to every detail.

The salt used is "Aoi Umi" seawater salt from Okinawa. It has a good balance of saltiness and a hint of sweetness, and is a perfect match for Aichi Prefecture's "Aichi no Kaori" rice. Aichi no Kaori has large rice grains and is very satisfying to eat, as well as a full-bodied sweetness that is the true taste of the rice.

The seaweed comes from Onisaki fishing port on the Chita Peninsula, one of the largest seaweed production areas in the prefecture. They have freshly baked seaweed delivered from there every morning.

After trying many different types of salt, seaweed, and rice, they carefully selected the ones that tasted best when made into onigiri.

One of Namihei's defining features is their strong commitment to the ingredients they use. For example, they use fresh salmon, and adjust the saltiness after grilling it in the restaurant. Meat-based ingredients such as ginger pork, wagyu beef yakiniku, and keema curry are also cooked in the restaurant, and burger-style rice balls are served after an order is placed.

We can see Namihei's strong desire that "I just want people to eat delicious rice balls."

Limited time menus and event stalls available!

At Namihei, you can also enjoy daily and limited-time-only onigiri. The limited-time-only onigiri are designed to coincide with seasonal events such as the Girl's Doll Festival and Setsubun, and in the past have been developed in collaboration with university students, such as the pork kakuni (simmered pork) burger and Taiwanese mazesoba-style onigiri. The creative onigiri for limited time only areInstagram.Please check out the information at​

Namihei also actively sets up stalls at markets, food truck events, and sporting events. The rice balls taste even better when eaten under a pleasant blue sky! The number of events increases from spring to autumn, so you can easily enjoy a picnic atmosphere.

Around Meijo Koen Station, the campus of Nagoya Zokei University and the IG Arena (Aichi Prefecture New Gymnasium), one of the largest arenas in Japan, are under construction. It is likely that more events and interaction with the local community will take place in the future.

What is Namihei's recommended onigiris?

Namihei always has about 30 different kinds of onigiri on hand, and the lineup ranges from standard ingredients to hearty and filling onigiri. The onigiri are large and filled with plenty of ingredients, so you will feel satisfied even with just one.

Here we will introduce the recommended onigiris at Namihei.

Grilled salmon rice balls

Grilled salmon 320 yen

This popular onigiri uses plenty of salmon grilled in the shop. The salmon is not only on top of the onigiri, but also inside, so plentiful that it almost seems like the onigiri will break. You can taste the salmon no matter where you bite into it. The way the onigiri is pressed and the amount of salt are just right, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "Delicious!"

Mentaiko onigiri

明太子　280円

As you can see from the picture, these onigiris are filled with mentaiko (cod roe). The gentle sweetness of the rice and the spiciness and saltiness of the mentaiko make a perfect match! The spiciness is not that strong, so even those who do not like spicy food or children will find it easy to eat. You can keep eating it from the beginning to the end without getting bored.

Kari-kari Ume onigiri

Kari-kari Ume (crunchy plums) 250 yen

This beautiful looking onigiri is made with finely chopped crunchy plums and yukari (seasonings made with red shiso leaves). The sourness of the plums and the freshness of the red shiso make it easy to eat. It also matches the flavor of the nori seaweed perfectly, allowing you to fully enjoy the natural flavor of the ingredients. It's no wonder this combination has been loved for so long.

Supa-tama Burger

Supa-tama Burger 380 yen

Supa-tama Burger is an Okinawan specialty pork and egg onigiri. The combination of Spam, egg omelet, and mayonnaise is the best! The combination of Spam, egg omelet, and mayonnaise, which gives the burger a strong meaty taste without any peculiarities, is an iron plate! It is a popular item among both children and adults.

They also have seasonal and daily specials, so you'll never get bored even if you visit often.

Morning breakfast menu: Onigiri Set

Onigiri set 390 yen (egg yolk in soy sauce + 40 yen)

Nampei offers a morning breakfast menu until 11am daily. The photo shows the Onigiri Set, which includes an onigiri + 3 daily side dishes + miso soup. ＋For +40 yen, you can change to salmon or egg yolk in soy sauce onigiri.

It's a great deal to be able to eat a hearty rice ball, side dish, miso soup, and other healthy breakfast items for this price! Another great thing about this restaurant is that you can enjoy a freshly cooked, hot meal.

Inside the rice ball is a well-seasoned, rich egg yolk!

In addition to the onigiri set, they also offer grated yam rice set meals, egg on rice set meals, and natto and rice set meals. Recommended for those who want to start their day with a hearty breakfast.

The "Lunch Box" which includes rice balls, a side dish, and soup can be eaten in or taken away. They also sell side dishes such as tamagoyaki (rolled eggs) and fried foods, so it seems like it would be fun to choose your favorite combination to take away.

Enjoy Namihei's onigiri, made with carefully selected ingredients!

Namihei is a specialty restaurant where all ingredients and ingredients are carefully selected and each onigiri is carefully made one by one. The menu offers about 30 types of onigiri, ranging from standard ingredients, creative onigiri, and hearty burger-type onigiri.

The dine-in restaurant also offers a special morning breakfast menu and set menus, so be sure to use it for breakfast or lunch time. Onigiri is also a Japanese food widely loved by everyone from small children to the elderly, so it can be used for a wide range of occasions such as picnics, home parties, and gatherings of relatives. They can also accommodate hors d'oeuvres for groups if you make a reservation in advance. If you are interested, please check their Instagram or the official website.