Photo/Illutration Onigiri rice balls are on sale at a convenience store in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on Sept. 30. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Onigiri rice balls are my go-to lunch choice on busy days.

They can be eaten with one hand, are filling and budget-friendly. I used to make them at home, but nowadays I get them from onigiri specialty shops, which have grown in number since the COVID-19 pandemic ended, and offer a wide variety of fillings that are fun to choose from.

The other day, I was quite impressed by the sheer originality of “iburigakko cheezu” (smoked pickles and cheese) and “dashitama mentai” (dashi rolled egg with spicy pollack roe).

But upon further research, I realized that our ancestors had even better ideas.

A book by Kikuko Oda, titled “Onigiri ni Kansuru Kenkyu (Dai 1-po)” (Research concerning onigiri: Part 1) lists about 120 kinds of onigiri from different eras and regions across Japan.

For instance, “Kaitaku onigiri” (Pioneers’ onigiri) had umeboshi (salted pickled plum) for its filling, a sprinkling of salt and sesame on the rice, and was slightly grilled before it was wrapped in bamboo leaves.

These onigiri were eaten during the pioneering period in Hokkaido when pioneers crossed the Ishikarigawa river in arks.

“Kassen musubi” (Battle onigiri) from Aichi Prefecture originated during the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, when Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) was said to have had miso shipped to the front lines to feed his troops with miso-filled grilled onigiri.

Such historic onigiri indicate not only their creators’ commitment to making them tasty, but also to ensuring that they are preserved as long as possible.

And further back in history, “Genji Monogatari” (The Tale of Genji) from the early 11th century mentions something similar to onigiri.

In the scene of the protagonist Hikaru Genji’s coming-of-age ceremony, a food item called “tonjiki”—essentially hand-molded steamed rice—is served during a banquet to guests of lower social standings.

Onigiri have not only conquered time, but have also crossed national boundaries, with specialty outlets now cropping up in Europe and the United States.

A British acquaintance of mine, an avid Studio Ghibli film fan, was elated to have onigiri for the first time, recalling a scene from “Spirited Away.”

To tell the truth, I started writing this column while munching on an onigiri.

Sadly, onigiri have become a bit smaller than they used to be. That’s because the price of rice remains high, but the prices of onigiri haven’t gone up yet.

—The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 6

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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