"Onigiri-yasan", An Onigiri Specialty Store in Osu

​Onigiri-yasan, an onigiri (rice ball) takeout specialty store, is located about an eight-minute walk from Osu Kannon Station Nagoya Municipal Subway.

In recent years, the onigiri (rica ball) boom has spread, and this store has been selling onigiri made with the finest ingredients for about 10 years, and can be considered a driving force behind the onigiri boom.

The store only has a display case for onigiris and a sales area.

The onigiri ingredients, drinks, and foods recommended by Ms. Sugie are all on display.

Each onigiri is made with the utmost care and attention to detail, from the rice, to the seaweed, to the ingredients, and each bite is so delicious that it makes you feel happy. After years of selling only at events, they finally opened a store in Osu in November 2020.

This time, we spoke to Mr. Sugie, the owner of the onigiri shop, about her passion and the appeal of her onigiri.

A rice ball specialty store that proposes "living with rice"

Ms. Sugie says that it was the COVID-19 that inspired her to open her own store. "Originally, I had been doing my main job on weekdays and mobile sales of onigiris only on weekends for about five years," she said. But when the COVID-19 struck, my freelance work came to a halt. From there, when I thought about how I wanted to work, I decided that I wanted to continue my onigiri business in earnest rather than my main business, so I decided to open my own store," says Ms. Sugie.

She also says that the biggest change is that now that she has a store, she is able to communicate better with customers. When she was selling on the road, she was mainly at events, so there were always lines, and she was always too busy handing out onigiri to the customers. She is happy to be able to tell customers not only about the onigiri but also about the producer's thoughts and the quality of the ingredients, and to see their reactions straight away.

Rice sourced directly from the farm

Ms. Sugiye was also serving customers during the interview. She talked to regulars and first-time customers alike, while also telling them about the producers. It was also impressive to see customers exclaiming in admiration as they selected their onigiri, "Wow! Amazing!" Learning the story behind how the onigiri are made might make them taste even better, rather than just eating them.

The concept of the shop is to "propose a life with rice." Ms. Sugie says, "In my previous job, I had many opportunities to talk with rice farmers and producers, and I wanted to spread the word about the good qualities of rice and the producers. At that time, I thought that onigiri would be a good way to convey the original flavor of the ingredients and rice, so I decided to open a store specializing in onigiri."

Basically, all the steps are done by one person, from making the onigiri ingredients to rolling and wrapping them. Onigiriya's onigiri are made with great care, using different cooking methods for white and brown rice, and grilling each sheet of nori seaweed one by one. There are always 10 to 12 types to choose from, including white rice, brown rice, and seasonal rice dishes.

A stylish interior where taste shines through in every detail

The inside of the store is not particularly large, with the onigiri display case, cash register, and food sales area taking up most of the space. However, it is an exciting space, with many small items, paintings, dried flowers, and other items that you'll want to look at closely.

Particularly eye-catching are the Onigiri-yasan logos displayed in various places. There are several different types, all of which were drawn by painter Ichiro Yamaguchi.

The artist is popular for his adorable drawings of animals and flowers, and Ms. Sugie has always been a big fan of his work. When she opened the store, she asked him to create a logo mark on the spot, and he sent her the original drawings with several patterns.

The sign at the entrance and inside the store are decorated with a cute logo mark.

Committed to all ingredients: rice, seaweed, and miso
Communicating the voice of the producer

The salt and seaweed used in the onigiri can also be purchased in the store.

At "Onigiri-yasan", all ingredients and seasonings are carefully selected, including rice and nori (seaweed). They purchase directly from farmers and fishermen because they want to use products from which they can recognize the producers.

Commitment to rice

Freshly cooked rice in a clay pot. The shiny rice and rich, natural aroma will stimulate your appetite.

Rice is the lifeblood of onigiri, and everything from the variety to the way it is cooked and gripped is carefully selected. The rice is "Nikkomaru," a low-chemical rice produced by Sugiura Farm in Mihama-cho, Aichi Prefecture. The rice is characterized by its large grain size and firm texture even when cold. The rice is cooked in an earthenware pot, and each grain stands out and is shiny and transparent, giving the rice a beautiful appearance. The freshly cooked rice is transferred from the earthenware pot to a rice chest so that it will taste good even after it cools down.

The humidity-regulating effect of the rice chest removes excess moisture but does not dry out the rice and maintains a constant humidity level. This extra step is the secret to rice balls that taste good even when cold.

Brown rice is also made from "Milky Queen" from the same farm. Many people have the image of brown rice being dry, but this brown rice has just the right amount of stickiness. Brown rice is cooked in a pressure cooker instead of an earthenware pot to make it chewy. The brown rice balls, which have been well received even by those who do not like brown rice, can be purchased at the store's online store.

Commitment to seaweed

Nori after baking (left) and before baking (right)

The laver used for onigiri is Yadanori, the highest quality laver, which is purchased directly from fishermen in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture. Nori is grown slowly over a long period of time and is also known as "farming of the sea," and its flavor varies greatly depending on the environment of the sea and the creator of the seaweed. "Yadanori" is so popular that it has fans all over Japan, and it is recommended to be grilled (roasted) before eating. Grilling changes the color from black to bright green and accentuates the flavor of the laver, which is why Ms. Sugie also grills each piece before wrapping it around an onigiri.

Commitment to ingredients

One of our specialties is to handmake the ingredients for onigiri as much as possible at the restaurant. For example, "Flaked Salmon with Sesame Flavor" is made with grilled salmon, sweetened with sesame paste and Amazake and dressed with butter. Adding a little effort and a twist to simple ingredients makes it "the taste of Onigiri-yasan". Takikomi-gohan (rice cooked with seasonal ingredients) and ume-katsuo (dried bonito plums) made with pickled plums from farmers in Mie are also popular.

All the producers put a lot of time and effort into their food, so I don't think I can cut any corners in order to bring out the full flavor," said Ms. Sugie. When asked if she speaks for the producers, she nodded with a smile and said, "That's what I want to be".

Enjoy the deliciousness of freshly cooked brown rice at home! Online shop also available

Onigiri-yasan's brown rice onigiri can be purchased at their online shop. The freshly cooked rice is flash frozen in an instant to lock in the flavor.

You can enjoy the taste of freshly cooked rice just by heating it in a microwave oven, or you can also arrange it by wrapping it with nori seaweed, making chazuke (rice with green tea), or making it into grilled rice balls. There are a variety of flavors to choose from, such as simple plain rice balls, rice balls with azuki beans, rice balls with ume plum paste, and shiso hijiki.

Once you try it, you will be surprised at how delicious it is. If you are interested in, please check it here.​

Recommended onigiri from "Onigiri-yasan"

At the "Onigiri-yasan", you can always choose from more than 10 varieties of white rice, brown rice, and cooked rice balls. Here are some of the most highly recommended.

Ajitama-chan-nigiri

Ajitama-chan nigiri 330 yen

It uses seasoned eggs, which are loved by both children and adults. The flavor-soaked eggs that have been left to soak for about two days go perfectly with rice sprinkled with bonito flakes! The moistness of the seaweed, rice, and egg is irresistible.

This is the most popular menu item at onigiri shops.

Flaked Salmon with Sesame Flavor

Shredded salmon with sesame flavor 330 yen

A popular dish that evolves the classic salmon + rice pairing. Grilled salmon is shredded, sweetened with sesame paste and Amazake, and tossed in butter. The ingredients, which have a complex and deep umami flavor, go perfectly with the slightly sweet rice. This rice ball brings out the flavor of the nori seaweed.

Ojako (small fishes) and ginger tsukudani (brown rice)

Ojako and ginger tsukudani (brown rice) 300 yen

This dish combines the aroma and spiciness of ginger with the fragrant brown rice. The chewy texture of the brown rice and the texture of the dried small sardines create a contrast that will have you hooked. As it is made with brown rice, it is very filling!

Brown rice ball with red beans

Brown rice ball with red beans 280 yen

This is Ms. Sugie's personal favorite onigiri. The sweetness of the brown rice and the softness of the red beans are irresistible. It is simply seasoned with just salt, so you can enjoy the natural flavor of the brown rice. It is also a popular dish among women.

Clam-cooked rice balls

Clam rice balls 380 yen

This is a seasonal rice ball made with a generous amount of large domestic clams. The rice is cooked in shellfish broth, so you can enjoy the gentle sweetness of the rice and the umami of the shellfish broth. A luxurious dish that lets you fully enjoy the bounty of the sea.

Onigiri-yasan" which is carefully and wholeheartedly held.
Let's eat onigiri with special care!

"Onigiri-yasan" is a specialty onigiri shop where Ms. Sugie personally handles everything from selecting the ingredients to making the fillings, cooking the rice, and rolling the rice. There are 10 to 12 different types of onigiri on offer, including onigiri made with rice cooked in a clay pot and handmade fillings, and brown rice onigiri cooked in a pressure cooker for a chewy texture.

Originally, the company only did mobile sales, and Ms. Sugie continues to open stalls at many events. "Since mobile sales are the origin of Onigiri-yasan, we will continue to open a stall at an event at least one day a week so that more people can enjoy our onigiri," she says.

Information about the event stalls and onigiri lineup is also posted on Instagram, so be sure to check it out.