Join us as we explore the more expensive side of Japan’s rice ball spectrum.
There was a time, just a few years ago, when convenience store onigiri rice balls were priced around the 100-yen (US$0.63) mark. With rising prices these days, that time is now, sadly, a distant memory, with even a regular tuna mayonnaise rice ball costing nearly 200 yen. Rather than being an affordable cheap snack, onigiri are now becoming a luxury food item, and it’s not uncommon to find ones that cost over 300 yen.
In fact, on a recent trip around the top three convenience store chains, we found that all of them had rice balls exceeding the 300-yen mark, which got us to thinking: are these rice balls really worth the extra money, and if so, which chain has the best ones?
With that in mind, we pulled out our wallets and felt the pinch as we purchased two from each chain. Surprisingly, 7-Eleven only had one rice ball that cost over 300 yen, and although that might’ve been because other varieties were out of stock, we decided to purchase the next most expensive onigiri as the second one for the tasting.
So let’s take a look at everything we purchased, before diving into the details.
▼ Seven-Eleven’s “Salmon Roe in Soy Sauce” (307 yen)
▼ Seven-Eleven’s “Red Salmon & Salt” (267 yen)
▼ Lawson’s “Just Like a Hamburg Steak Bowl” (354 yen)
▼ Lawson’s “Salmon Roe Pickled in Soy Sauce” (308 yen)
▼ Family Mart’s “Salmon Seaweed” (320 yen)
▼ Family Mart’s “Large Rice Ball with Salmon Mayonnaise & Pollock Roe” (348 yen)
The most expensive onigiri was Lawson’s “Just Like a Hamburg Steak Bowl“, which cost a whopping 354 yen, once an unthinkable price point for a rice ball. If you were to add a drink, you’d be spending around 500 yen for just these two items, which is exceedingly expensive for a Japanese local, especially in a country where filling “one-coin” 500-yen lunch sets at restaurants used to be the norm.
Still, with the promise of this being equivalent to a hamburg steak rice bowl in rice ball form, we were ready to be open-minded in the tasting…even though it didn’t really look like a conventional rice ball.
▼ Beneath the rice and nori seaweed was a full hamburg steak coated in teriyaki sauce, as well as a fried egg-style omelette, and mayonnaise.
We had to give them points for creativity and effort, as this rice ball pushes beyond the boundaries of a traditional onigiri in new and inventive ways, almost breaking through into an entirely different food genre altogether. Although it was tasty, we had to deduct points for the fact that it loses half its flavor if not heated in the microwave, making it seem a little lacking as an onigiri.
Moving on to Lawson’s next contender, we have the Salmon Roe Pickled in Soy Sauce, which we tried next to 7-Eleven’s Salmon Roe in Soy Sauce.
▼ This is Lawson’s salmon roe onigiri…
▼ …and this is 7-Eleven’s salmon roe onigiri.
Our vote here initially went for 7-Eleven, and the reason why is evident in the Japanese title on the packaging, which loses its details in the simple English translation of “Salmon Roe in Soy Sauce”. The Japanese title really translates as “Aged Salmon Roe Marinated in Soy Sauce”, which alludes to the extra depth of flavour in the mix. Adding to the allure is the fact that 7-Eleven’s salmon roe is large, with a great texture, while Lawson’s is smaller with less of a pop, and a stronger soy sauce flavour that drowns out the natural flavour of the roe.
When it comes to the deliciousness of the rice, though, Lawson wins for the texture of the grains and its strong rice flavour. So in the end, the choice here depends on whether you’re craving an rice ball with great rice or great roe, because unfortunately, neither delivers on both fronts.
▼ Finally, we have Family Mart’s offerings, one of which has legendary baseball player Shohei Ohtani on the pack.
The first thing you’ll notice about these rice balls are their weight, as they’re much heavier than the other varieties in the lineup. Thick and heavy, these onigiri are designed to fill your stomach, and the Large Rice Ball is reminiscent of a baseball.
Strangely, though, the onigiri with Ohtani on the packaging appeared to be simpler and more elegant than the Large Rice Ball, containing flakes of salmon and seaweed, beautifully placed throughout. It was a nice, solid rice ball, with a good amount of flavour that beat the competition.
▼ Nothing flashy or unnecessary here, much like Ohtani himself.
The “Large Rice Ball”, containing salmon, mayonnaise and pollock roe, is quite pricey at 348 yen but it prioritizes satiation over luxury. Stuff salmon, cod roe, and mayonnaise into a giant rice ball and it’s bound to be delicious, and that’s what Family Mart gives us here.
▼ This is the complete opposite of 7-Eleven’s approach, which doesn’t even wrap the rice in seaweed.
7-Eleven might not wrap its rice balls in seaweed, but it does pay closer attention to the fillings, with care given to the balance of flavours, which, in the Red Salmon & Salt variety, had a tasty charcoal aroma, and chunky fish pieces.
So, in the end, are these rice balls worth the extra money? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. If you have the money to spare, it’s fun to explore what’s out there in the world of rice balls, and if you’re looking for excitement, Lawson will satisfy you with its unusual varieties. However, if you have a refined palate that’s more attuned to harmonious flavours and attention to detail, 7-Eleven has what you’re looking for. Those happy with a rugged, no-frills approach will want to make a beeline for Family Mart, which gave us our favourites of the bunch.
After exploring the more expensive end of the rice ball spectrum, it’s clear that each chain prioritises different aspects of the onigiri, which is a clever tactic for the three top competitors. At the end of the day though, you’ll still find us in the cheaper section of the rice ball display, reaching for the simpler varieties before prices skyrocket even further.
Photos ©SoraNews24
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