Onigiri

Onigiri (sometimes called omusubi) is serious soul food for Japanese people. A classic lunch-box staple, every child growing up in Japan can probably remember exactly how the onigiri their parents made for them tasted.

Onigiri are Japanese rice balls filled with various ingredients (popular choices include: tuna with mayo, salmon with or without mayo, and umeboshi (pickled plum. These taste tangy and salty).). Usually triangular or cylindrical, with a piece of nori (thin, dried seaweed sheets) wrapped around them, onigiri are the epitome of convenience—the ultimate portable snack.

Many onigiri are consumed from the konbini because— convenient, cheap, and tasty. But do yourself a favor and get some onigiri from a place other than the konbini. Go somewhere that specializes in them. The flavor and quality will be on another level. You’ll get bigger, fresher, and tastier onigiri with many more options of fillings. 

These shops are all over. 

In addition to getting fresh onigiri from a specialty shop, I love getting yakionigiri (grilled onigiri) which are sold at many izakayas. Traditionally grilled over charcoal, yakionigiri have a nice crispy exterior with a slightly smoky flavor. Some shops will put a soy sauce glaze on them adding a more savory, somewhat caramelized crust.

Yakionigiri are similar to regular onigiri, although often there won’t be any filling. It will just be a grilled rice ball with or without the nori wrap and with or without the soy sauce glaze.

If you like making onigiri at home and want to try making yakionigiri but don’t have a grill handy, a frying pan will work fine. You won’t get the smokiness from the charcoal (possibly a plus for some people), but you’ll still have a nice crispy, crunchy crust and you can experiment with adding a soy sauce glaze.

Here are a few onigiri shops you can try:

Onigiri Ichiryu Manpaku in Shinagawa, Tokyo—Located about a 3-minute walk from Nishi-Koyama Station, Onigiri Ichiryu Manpaku is still somewhat under the radar, so you shouldn’t have to wait in insane lines to eat here. But it is a small shop, so expect some wait time unless you show up before they open.

It doesn’t get any fresher than this. At this small shop in Shinagawa, you’ll watch your onigiri made right in front of you. You’ll choose from 21 available ingredients for your onigiri, and you can also mix and match them to create combinations. The size of these and the amount of filling inside will put konbini onigiri to shame. Bring your appetite. These are more than a snack. I recommend you go for the set lunch with either 2 or 3 onigiri, a side of pickled vegetables, and soup.

Onigiri Tonjiru Yamataro in Ikebukuro, Tokyo - Ikebukuro is an underrated area in Tokyo that delivers great value when it comes to food, and this onigiri shop is another reason to visit. This restaurant is run by a chef who previously worked at and learned from Tokyo’s most famous onigiri shop, Onigiri Bongo (see below).

Onigiri Bongo in Otsuka, Tokyo—Considered one of the best, if not the best, onigiri in Tokyo. Expect to wait anywhere from 1 to 4 hours or more. Yikes. They have over 50 types of fillings. Yes, the onigiri are amazing. But the wait is a lot.

Onigiri Manma in Shinjuku, Tokyo - This is a sister location of Onigiri Bongo which isn’t quite as well known, so the lines aren’t as crazy as the main shop (around 45 minutes is normal here). The onigiri, however, are every bit just as good.

MUJI

Muji is legendary for its exceptional selection of writing implements and notebooks. If you like those types of things, MUJI is a must-visit shop.

Stationary is just the beginning. Muji provides a variety of cool, high-quality products at a fair price, including clothing. Known for forgoing all the ostentatious B.S., MUJI is committed to minimalism and simplicity. They have a “no logo” policy, and all their products have an understated design aesthetic.

In addition to pens, notebooks, and clothes, MUJI stocks food and pantry items, and all manner of household goods. Everything has a soft, neutral color palette.

With over 1,000 international stores, you may be able to experience MUJI without going to Japan. However, North America only has about 16 stores and those are in just a few select cities (New York, Portland (OR), Boston, Vancouver (BC), Ontario, Toronto, and a few other Canadian cities).

MUJI is where I go for all my writing needs and to grab souvenirs for my writer and artist friends.

NOTE: MUJI has partnered with Lawson konbini stores and you can find a selection of their stationary goods and some of their popular snacks (the Baumkuchen for example) at Lawson.

Reading the Air

Japanese communication is highly situational and context matters a lot. It’s important to learn to read between the lines and understand what is being conveyed. “Reading the air” in Japan is akin to the Western phrase “read the room.”

This quote from a BBC article about reading the air sums it up nicely:

“Knowing the unspoken rules governing social life requires comprehensive understanding of your environment, whatever the setting. It’s a skill that’s valuable anywhere in the world – but in Japan, where communication tends to be indirect, it is elevated to another level. Reading the air – kuuki o yomu in Japanese – is a constant exercise, and misreading the air can blow business deals or ruin relationships.”

Check out the full article for a more thorough explanation with examples.

The opposite of “reading the air” is “KY" which means Kuuki Yomenai or “can’t read the air”, and it’s not a compliment.

Japanese is a very contextual language with a lot left unspoken. Japanese people are very aware of group and interpersonal dynamics. We’ve all been in a situation where someone was clearly not reading the room (aka reading the air) and that’s within our own respective cultures. It’s far more challenging when immersed in a culture we don’t fully understand. These differences can result in miscommunication. So just being aware of “Kuuki wo Yomu”, reading the air, can go a long way.

Nintendo even has a game for the Switch called “Kuukiyomi: Consider it!” The gameplay is centered on 100 different social situations where players “read the air” and choose the appropriate reaction. I haven’t tried it, but it sounds entertaining on so many levels. Apparently, Japanese people enjoy choosing the wrong reaction in the game for fun.

Actually, there are three games:

Kuukiyomi: Consider it!

Kuukiyomi: Consider it more!

Kuukiyomi: Consider it more and more!

Warning: These games have alcohol references and suggestive themes.

I’m not telling you about reading the air to discourage you from interacting or being overly concerned with your normal behavior. I think it’s good to know how different cultures vary so you can do things accordingly.

The good news is most Japanese people don’t expect foreigners to know all the unspoken rules of Japan and are very understanding if you commit a faux pas.