Onigiri

Akihiro Takabatake

Mita Kendo Club, Sanuki Mita-kai Member, 1974 Law

I live every day watched over by "Omusubi Mountain." It is with me when I do garden work, when I am in the fields, and even when I visit the family grave. This Omusubi Mountain refers to "Mount Iino" in Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture. This satoyama (woodland near a village) is shaped like an onigiri, not just in name. In other words, it is shaped like Mount Fuji, so locals call it "Sanuki Fuji." My alma mater's school songs also sing of it: "Beautiful Fuji" (Elementary School), "Near Iino" (Junior High School), and "At the foot of Fuji" (High School).

What made this Omusubi Mountain famous nationwide was the "1st National Satoyama Fuji Summit" held in Marugame City in November 2011. Municipalities with satoyama shaped like Mount Fuji came together to promote them and announce their collaboration to the country. At that time, there was also a climbing event for Mount Iino, which my family participated in. It was a 7-kilometer walk from Marugame Castle to Mount Iino followed by a climb to an altitude of 422 meters. I still fondly remember climbing the rugged mountain path, calling out to each other while watching our step.

Whether looking up at it, climbing it, or seeing it reflected in a reservoir, Mount Iino is the "Omusubi Mountain" that we are familiar with and proud of.

Shigeyuki Kanai

Producer of "Sanada no Koshikari Komatsuhime," 1984 Law

It is no exaggeration to say that the deliciousness of an onigiri depends entirely on the quality of the rice, its main ingredient. Therefore, if you choose good rice, anyone can easily make something delicious.

With delicious rice, you can enjoy the sweet aroma of the steam when it's cooked, the moderate sweetness when chewing, the sticky texture, and the smooth swallow. So, how do you get such rice? Here is a suggestion. Why not try purchasing directly from professional farmers who are particular about taste? For reference, among the farmers known as "regulars" who win prizes every year at the world's largest rice contest, the "International Rice Taste Evaluation Contest," there are many who handle everything from production to sales. You can easily search for the winners of each year's contest online. Please give it a try. By the way, Sanada no Koshikari Komatsuhime has won prizes for seven consecutive years, including four Gold Awards.

Taniriri

Agricultural Policy Journalist, 1989 Law

The popularity of omusubi is exploding. Specialty shops are opening in a rush, and convenience store chains are competing to launch new products. The secret to its popularity seems to lie in its history.

It began in the age of mythology. Rice, in which the spirit of the rice plant dwells, was shaped like the mountains where gods live and offered to the male deity Takamimusubi-no-kami and the female deity Kamimusubi-no-kami. The prototype of the omusubi was the "tonjiki" of the Heian period. These were balls of steamed glutinous rice given to lower-ranking officials during court banquets (the word "omusubi" originated as court lady language).

It spread to the samurai during the Jokyu War. Hojo Masako encouraged the Kamakura samurai with omusubi containing pickled plums (umeboshi). During the Sengoku period, it became a portable ration for soldiers, and it was finally in the Edo period that white omusubi made from polished rice spread to the common people.

And now, in the modern era. The reason triangular omusubi spread nationwide was triggered by 7-Eleven (for details, see my book "Adult Omusubi Study Notebook").

In fact, the secret to how Japan can remain a sustainable country is hidden in this history related to rice. For more details, please read my book "Learning Rice Cultivation SDGs from Rice Professionals" (Seiunsha).

"Learning Rice Cultivation SDGs from Rice Professionals: The 'Marketing Power' of 36 People Connecting the Dining Table and Satoyama"

Taniriri

Seiunsha, 2022

Mori Kitamura

Professor at Cyber University Faculty of IT and Business, Product Journalist, 1991 Political Science

Convenience store onigiri have evolved significantly, with film packaging reforms since the late 1970s greatly improving texture, and the variety of ingredients expanding dramatically in the 21st century. What is the current situation as a result? Let's talk using the numbers "3," "2," and "1."

First, "3." It is said that convenience store onigiri account for as much as 30% of domestic seaweed (nori) consumption. This can be described as a typical example where the structure of a market has changed significantly due to a single product category.

Next, "2." Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has settled and restrictions on movement are disappearing, sales of convenience store onigiri are recovering significantly. For example, at Lawson, sales have reportedly been trending at about a 20% increase compared to the previous year since the start of this year.

Finally, "1." According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Family Income and Expenditure Survey, spending on onigiri by households of two or more people reached a record high of 5,172 yen last year—the highest ever compared to the past.

All of these figures show that convenience store onigiri are putting up a great fight, even in an era long described as one where people are moving away from rice.