Eight Ancient Rice Rice Balls Revived in Reiwa-Era Japan After 2,000 Years

It seems there has been a rice ball boom in the streets over the past year or two.
At popular shops in Tokyo, there are lines waiting for two hours even on weekdays, and rice ball-related items have even ranked in this year's trend rankings.

But when you think about it, rice balls have been around for a long time.

They have existed since the time rice culture was introduced and are also the 'oldest Japanese food in Japan.' The book 'Cultural History of Onigiri,' supervised by the Yokohama History Museum, mentions that fossilized rice balls have been found at archaeological sites all over the country.

It seems that ancient rice was quite different from the varieties eaten today.
Modern rice is generally white, chewy, and sweet.
However, ancient rice was colored—black, purple, or green—and had a flavor closer to grains than sweetness.

And apparently, that ancient rice is still being grown today, and what's more, it has been turned into rice balls.

So, I have picked out ancient rice balls from my reports on over 1,200 rice balls I've eaten while visiting rice ball shops across the country.

Titled 'Eight Ancient Rice Rice Balls Revived in Reiwa-Era Japan After 2,000 Years'

Please enjoy the charm of food passed down from ancient times!

1. Yayoi Rice Rice Ball from 'Ebisu Onigiri Hayashi' using ancient rice from Kitakyushu

This is the Yayoi rice rice ball!
Of course, this is the only shop in Tokyo where you can eat it.
It looks purple-red.
It feels like a red bean rice ball with a bit of extra color mixed in.

Time to eat.
Oh.
A fragrant aroma spreads out.
This really whets the appetite.

Chomp.

Yeah, yeah.
It's quite chewy, and with the black rice of just the right firmness mixed in, there's an accent to the texture.

The seasoning is just salt.
But that's what's good about it.
It's simple, but you can feel the deliciousness, or rather the strength, of the Yayoi rice the most.

❷ Red Shiso Rice Ball from Roadside Station Hota Elementary School using Tateyama Ancient Rice

This rice ball is 'Red Shiso Furikake Okowa'.
It is an okowa-style rice ball made by steaming Tateyama ancient rice mixed with Kyonan glutinous rice.
The red shiso furikake made with plum vinegar is also locally sourced.

I definitely want to try this!
A perfectly round rice ball inside the square exterior of Hota Elementary School!
Time to eat.
Chomp.
Ahhh.
So chewy!

I had an image of ancient rice being dry and crumbly, but that is not the case at all; it actually has a chewy texture.
It is simple, but the more you chew, the more flavor you can taste in the rice.
Added to that is the refreshing acidity and saltiness of the yukari made from red shiso.

❸ 'Mixed Grain Black Rice Ball' from a Green Enzyme Specialty Shop in Urawa

I ordered the mixed grain black rice ball.
Even though I only ordered a rice ball, they gave me a salad on the house.
An enzyme salad rich in color with beans, bell peppers, and more!

How delightful!!

The mixed grain black rice ball!
Some people might not like black rice balls because they can be dry and have a unique flavor, but the ones here are just fine!
They are chewy and have a mild aroma.
With the added nuttiness of black sesame, it is both delicious and healthy!
A rice ball that makes your body feel energized during the green season.
It was very heartwarming!

❹ Ancient Purple Rice Ball of an Original Variety Found in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture

So chewy!
I had an image of ancient rice being dry, but this is as chewy as red bean rice (osekihan).

It has sesame salt sprinkled on the surface, and the taste is also close to osekihan. At the same time, a unique and elegant aroma characteristic of ancient rice spreads through your mouth.

"Yahoo!"
The nature of Hakuba and ancient rice rice balls make me feel like energy is welling up from deep within my body.

5. The magical ancient rice 'Asamurasaki' rice ball found in Hakuba once again

A rice ball made with 'Asamurasaki,' a purple rice that is one of the two types of ancient rice I bought at Roadside Station Hakuba.

It is said that purple rice is the origin of ohagi, and it has been cherished as a celebratory rice since ancient times. It is richer in nutrients than modern white rice and looks beautiful, so it is also called magical ancient rice.

This purple rice seems to be a type of glutinous rice, and it is cooked by mixing it with regular white rice. It is surprising that this deep purple color comes out just from this.

The texture is just so chewy, like okowa (steamed glutinous rice).
It has a good bite to it, and it is just delicious.
It is a bit similar to sekihan (red bean rice), but it has a unique flavor that is also great.

A magical purple rice ball eaten while facing the autumn sky after trekking.

I received so much energy from it.

6. The mysterious rice ball using ancient rice from Ishigaki Island: 'Kamiya-ki-gwa no Popo Onikama'

Popo Onikama!

When I asked the shop staff, they said that 'popo' refers to 'popo-age,' which is fish paste shaped into a ball and deep-fried. There is a snack called 'popo' in Okinawa, but it seems to be something different.

Onikama is onigiri + kamaboko.

In other words, a Popo Onikama is an onigiri wrapped in kamaboko (similar to Tokyo's satsuma-age).

I see.

Now that I'm convinced, time to dig in!

Chomp.

Oh, this is delicious!
Fish paste with carrots and burdock root. The flavor of the fish is concentrated, making it quite good on its own.
And from inside, the onigiri made of Ishigaki Island's ancient black-purple rice appears.

The simple taste of this black-purple rice goes perfectly with the richly seasoned kamaboko.
Nice. This is nice.

And just like that, I finished it in no time.

7. Packed with polyphenols! Exquisite ohagi made with ancient rice from the famous Japanese confectionery shop 'Sentaro'

Oh, an onigiri!
Wait, there's a pitch-black onigiri right there...

Available for only 3 months in the summer! It uses ancient black rice and is apparently packed with polyphenols! I have to try this!!

The black rice mixed with glutinous rice is glossy.
The chewy texture and unique aroma are wonderful.

And inside, there is plenty of elegant smooth red bean paste...

Hmm, smooth red bean paste...

Hmm!

At this point, I'd like you to recall the story from the beginning.

It is not necessarily a good thing to draw clear boundaries on things.
Rather, accepting and enjoying that ambiguity is what will be important in the coming era.

So... this is... it looks like a rice ball... so it doesn't matter that it's an ohagi... or that it contains smooth red bean paste...

Barely safe!

Come on, let's gently free our hearts from rigid rules.

La la la la la~

❽ Also featured on Matsuko! Awaji Island ohagi that looks pitch black using ancient rice

Millet Marche Sora's black rice ohagi.

If you look closely, this ohagi.
It seems different from the usual ones.

It looks black, but this isn't bean paste; it seems to be black rice and sticky rice.
(If it were white rice, it would basically be a rice ball!)

It's just too mysterious.

There is kinako (roasted soybean flour) in the middle, and it seems you eat it by dipping it in this!

Facing the sea of Awaji Island, let's dig in!

Chomp.

Oh, delicious!
The rice grains are still firm, and the texture is great.

There is a little bit of bean paste inside, and it's not too sweet.
The powerful aroma and flavor of the black rice spread through my mouth along with the gentle sweetness of the bean paste and kinako.

With this, it seems like it would work not just as a snack, but as a meal too.

Black rice ohagi, it's just too mysterious. And, it's too delicious!

How was it?
These ancient rice onigiri revived in the modern day.
(Two of them are ohagi!)

Every time I take a bite, I feel the thoughts of ancient people toward food.

By all means, if you have the chance, please try feeling the eternal passage of time within your own stomach.

Thank you for the meal!

Thank you for reading until the end!
As a 1,000-day challenge, I am traveling around the country eating onigiri and writing about it on note~
(The other day, I surpassed 2,000 days!)

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