“Onigiri” Rice Balls: Kings of the Convenience Store

The triangular packages are a familiar sight to anyone who has spent time in a Japanese convenience store.

To open the snack, pull the tab at the package’s top down and around the bottom of the rice ball, completely removing it at the back to leave two separate wrappers on each side. Remove the side wrappers one by one, being careful not to pull the rice out of the nori, and it’s ready to eat.

The “sea chicken,” or tuna mixed with mayonnaise, onigiri is a mainstay at all convenience store chains.

Not all onigiri come with nori wrappers. Increasingly popular are the flavors made with barley, sesame seeds, or other ingredients mixed into the rice.