The Glory that is Onigiri

Often translated as a Japanese rice ball, they tend to come in two distinct shapes: disc and triangle. Onigiri is packed rice with some kind of filling inside then usually (but not always) wrapped in nori or seaweed paper. Imagine a kind maki sushi hamburger. They're easy to eat on the go and they're interesting. Unwrapping the triangular kind is a three-step process but you just need to look at the numbers on the wrapper to know which tear or pull comes first. Then you're ready to eat. Typical onigiri flavours you find at a convenience store are grilled salmon, tuna and mayonnaise, mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and umeboshi (sour pickled plum). It may be daunting just to pop into a 7-11 to grab one, but don't worry: many of the onigiri now have pictures of the ingredients right on the label, so you know exactly what you're getting. And for the more adventurous of you out there, you can buy the ones without pictures and get a complete surprise! No trip to Japan would be complete without at least several stops at a convenience store. And while you're there you've got get your hands on these classic Japanese snacks.