The 'Truly Delicious! You'll Definitely Become a Fan! Grilled Onigiri Ranking Top 10' discovered after 1000 days of reporting

[Special Edition: The Man Who Has Eaten 1000 Onigiri in 1000 Days]

I successfully reached the goal of my challenge to report on an onigiri every day on note for 1000 days this past April, and I have continued to accumulate onigiri reports since then.

I have introduced over 300 shops so far, and naturally, I have reported on over 1000 onigiri.
Since it is said that there are about 800 onigiri shops nationwide, this means I have searched for and eaten quite a lot of onigiri over these 1000 days.


800 shops is actually quite small; considering there are about 1700 municipalities in the country, it is actually rare to have an onigiri shop in the municipality where you live. Therefore, I went everywhere to search, not just at onigiri specialty shops, but also at roadside stations, Japanese confectionery shops, and department store basements—anywhere that sold onigiri.

(Note: Convenience store onigiri and my own homemade onigiri are prohibited by my own rules.)

I have been thinking about something recently.

One person tasting onigiri with one tongue and writing about it in detail on note every day. In other words, this means I am collecting raw data about food under the same criteria!

Even the famous Michelin Guide apparently has multiple inspectors, so I don't think they are comparing with the exact same tongue.

Could it be that I have had an incredibly valuable experience and have also left a record of it?

Onigiri is the oldest Japanese dish, created alongside rice cultivation. It is truly the origin of Japanese cuisine and exists like an identity for those living in Japan.

As someone living in the 21st century, it might be my role to share this valuable record with the world and properly preserve it for future generations.
By doing so, I think I can get more people interested in onigiri, and it will also cheer up onigiri shop owners and farmers.

With that said, I would like to reorganize the onigiri I have introduced in my notes so far and present them in an attractive ranking that will make everyone who reads it want to eat onigiri.

Titled: 'Truly Delicious! You'll Definitely Become a Fan! Onigiri Top 10'

The first one I chose for this is grilled onigiri!

'Grilled onigiri? That's just simple onigiri that a grandmother in the countryside makes. Are there really enough varieties to make a ranking?' some of you might think.

However, however, that is not the case.
New types of grilled onigiri are increasing rapidly, overlapping with the good old-fashioned grilled onigiri and blowing a new wind into the world of onigiri.
Some are not just grilled, but also seared or deep-fried.

Those who eat them can also enjoy a sense of live performance, from the heat to the situation.
It is truly an onigiri that you eat using all five senses.

What, the introduction is too long...
My apologies.

I'll end the introduction here and let's get straight to the ranking announcement!

Chosen by a man who has introduced onigiri every day for over 1000 days
'Truly Delicious! You'll Definitely Become a Fan! Grilled Onigiri Top 10'

*Please note that information about shops and onigiri is current as of the time of publication.

*Since there is too much information, my impression comments are kept short. You can find the original articles at the links provided, so please check those for shop details and food reports.

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[10th Place]
The grilled rice ball from the 12-time consecutive Yokote Yakisoba champion is salmon!

Kuidaoraku (Yokote City, Akita Prefecture) Grilled Rice Ball

Akita Prefecture, where the world's first rice ball beer unveiling was held. 'Kuidaoraku' has won the nationally famous Yokote Yakisoba award for 12 consecutive years.
Of course, the yakisoba is exquisite, but the grilled rice ball, generously coated in miso, was also incredibly delicious!

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[9th Place]
From Oku-Nikko to Oze. Katashina Village specialty green onion miso grilled rice ball eaten at a mountain pass teahouse.

Yamakoya (Katashina Village, Gunma Prefecture) Green Onion Miso Grilled Rice Ball

What I ate at a mountain pass teahouse between Oku-Nikko and Oze was the 'Handmade Green Onion Miso Grilled Rice Ball' that has been passed down in Katashina Village since long ago.
The browned miso is fragrant.
For some reason, it arrived served on a stylish skillet!

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[8th Place]

Available at Shinagawa Station! A super-evolved grilled rice ball with spicy cod roe, takana mustard greens, and mayo

Kongariya (Inside Shinagawa Station) Spicy Cod Roe, Takana Mustard Greens, and Mayo Grilled Rice Ball

Kongariya is located in ecute Shinagawa inside Shinagawa Station. True to its name, they sell a variety of grilled rice balls. Among them, this one is an absolute must-try!
Inside the grilled rice ball is a triple threat of deliciousness: spicy cod roe, takana mustard greens, and mayonnaise. It's a new-era grilled rice ball that combines Japanese and Western flavors.

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[7th Place]
A popular robata grill restaurant in the northern land. The perfectly round rice balls touch the heart

Robata Uosen (Obihiro City, Hokkaido) Grilled Rice Ball

Minus 6 degrees. I stepped into a robata grill restaurant called 'Robata Uosen' in the middle of winter in Tokachi.
The seafood was delicious, especially the cod milt with ponzu, which was exquisite. And the perfectly round grilled rice balls were so warm, so very warm.

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[6th Place]
Ordering Tuna Mayo Yuzu Kosho Rice Balls from a Specialty Winged Rice Ball Shop!

gao (Taito Ward, Tokyo) Tuna Mayo Yuzu Kosho

I ordered this collaboration product between the long-established Kappabashi seaweed shop 'Numata Nori' and the Iriya winged grilled rice ball shop 'gao' as a support purchase during the stay-at-home period.
I was surprised by the deliciousness of the crispy rice wings!

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[5th Place]
The grilled rice balls from an Osaka rice ball cafe use Oki seaweed salt rice for a fluffy texture!

Fuji Onigiri Cafe (Taisho Ward, Osaka City) Grilled Rice Ball

The cozy rice ball cafe 'Fuji Onigiri Cafe' in Taisho Ward, Osaka.
The grilled rice balls, made with Kinumusume rice grown with seaweed salt from the Oki Islands in Shimane Prefecture, have a fluffy texture with the aroma of sesame oil spreading gently!
The staff's smiles were also very lovely and impressive.

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[4th Place]
Mickey Mouse-shaped grilled rice ball sandwich you can eat in the land of dreams

Camp Woodchuck Kitchen (Tokyo Disneyland) Beef Kalbi

I actually discovered a grilled rice ball at Tokyo Disneyland! What you can eat at Camp Woodchuck Kitchen in Westernland is a Mickey Mouse-shaped rice ball sandwich.
Inside, there is plenty of beef kalbi BBQ and komatsuna greens!

So far, I've announced up to 4th place!
There is so much information that some of you might already be full.

Take a break and have some water.

Phew.



And now, the announcement of the top 3!

I want you to try every one of these at least once.
These are truly recommended grilled rice balls.
Please enjoy them!

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[3rd Place] The sophisticated grilled rice balls come in two types: 'Grilled Miso Okoge' and 'Seared Miso'

Onigiri Cafe Risaku (Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo) Grilled Miso Okoge & Seared Miso

Onigiri Cafe Risaku in Sendagi. Both of the grilled rice balls at this shop are exquisite!

● Grilled Miso Okoge (Scorched Rice)

Just looking at it is satisfying. The 'Grilled Miso Okoge' exudes such a sophisticated atmosphere. The bittersweet taste of the scorched miso is irresistible. It pairs perfectly with cranberry juice!

● Seared Miso Rice Ball

This is a grilled rice ball made with miso packed with mushrooms.
It comes with a side of green curry soup.

The scorched sensation of the miso is unforgettable.

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[2nd Place]
Seriously delicious! Emotionally moving! The deep-fried rice ball in Daikanyama has hot, gooey miso inside.

OMUSUBI CAFE (Daikanyama, Tokyo) Brown Rice Deep-Fried Miso

OMUSUBI CAFE is a stylish rice ball shop in Daikanyama. I was shocked by how delicious their 'Deep-Fried Miso' rice ball was.

It's so hot you can barely hold it, but when you take a bite, the miso oozes out from the inside! It just keeps oozing out!
You can choose between white rice or brown rice; the white rice has a chewy texture, while the brown rice has a fragrant aroma, making it hard to choose between the two.

If you ever go to Daikanyama, you should definitely try it.
It's a truly recommended rice ball!

Well then, it's finally time to announce the number one spot!

I struggled quite a bit with this...
Including all the memories of my 1000-day challenge, I've decided on this rice ball!

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[1st Place]
I ate this to celebrate reaching 1000 days! The super luxurious 2200 yen 'Shrimp Hollandaise Rice Ball'

Salon Misawa (Minami Ward, Saitama City) Shrimp Hollandaise Rice Ball

Located in Minami-Urawa, 'Misawa' is a fruit salon where stylish ladies gather.
The specialty here is the 'Shrimp Hollandaise Rice Ball'.

'Hollandaise' refers to a cooking technique where fried items are coated in a dashi-based sauce, and the Hollandaise rice ball is an original creation you can only eat at this shop.

The price is 2200 yen! (Actually, it was a great value set that came with a fruit platter.)

And this fried rice ball was just incredibly delicious.

The outside was crispy, and the inside was chewy like mochi.
The dashi sauce clung to it generously. It just clung to it.
The large shrimp was also plump and irresistible.

If you have the chance, I really want you to taste it.

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How was it?
I feel like we covered a pretty wide range of grilled onigiri, from Hokkaido to Kansai, and even the land of dreams.
Just remembering any of them makes me want to eat them again.

Summary is here ↓

'Truly Delicious! You'll Definitely Become a Fan! Grilled Onigiri Top 10'

Afterword

Thank you for reading until the end.

Looking back, I feel like I've encountered so many different onigiri.


To tell you the truth, I was debating whether to make this a paid article. But I decided to publish it for free because I want more people to read it and fall in love with onigiri even more.



There are still so many grilled onigiri I couldn't introduce, and plenty of other delicious onigiri out there, so I would be happy if you could read the main series as well!

There is also a selection version.

I would also be happy if you could give me a 'like' or leave a comment with your thoughts.

And, if this Top 10 is well-received...

Shrimp Tempura Onigiri Top 10
Roadside Station Onigiri Top 10
Okinawa Onigiri Top 10
I'm thinking of writing things like these as well.

Onigiri, Japan's identity food.
I will continue to convey its charm more and more.

Thank you for the meal!