Experiencing the soul of Japan in Tokyo. Reasons for the popularity of Onigiri Bongo where there is always a long line outside.
Onigiri Bongo is a restaurant that has mastered rice balls—a quick, easy, and tasty Japanese soul food. We asked Ms. Yumiko Ukon, the restaurant’s well-known owner, about the reasons the restaurant continues to be loved by people of all ages.
Japanese rice balls have been gaining popularity around the world in recent years. One of the biggest factors is Japanese anime works such as Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away.
Founded in 1960, Onigiri Bongo is a popular restaurant that has always served only rice balls—the Japanese soul food. Ms. Ukon has been working there for 48 years, and she took over the restaurant after the founder, her husband, Mr. Tasuku Ukon, passed away.
At Onigiri Bongo, they do not squeeze rice balls more than three times.
According to Ms. Ukon, the key to rice ball making is “not to squeeze” so as to “draw out the flavor and texture of every grain of rice as much as possible.”
According to Ms. Ukon, a single rice ball contains about 3,000 grains of rice, so squeezing them too hard makes the grains squash against each other and lose their true flavor. On the other hand, when you make rice balls gently without squeezing excessively in such a way as to let air in, each grain makes contact with the air and gains a coating from the effect of the rice starch. This gives rice balls a light and fluffy texture while drawing out its umami to the full.
They have counters like sushi restaurants to create a live atmosphere.
Onigiri Bongo values the live atmosphere of making rice balls right in front of customers’ eyes because rice balls are originally a food which is made among family members and close acquaintances based on shared trust.
Their menu has a great variety of items from traditional ingredients to unusual ones.
They currently serve a total of 56 items. Ones that are popular among tourists from overseas are the Japanesey ones such as whitebait, miso and peanuts miso. You can also add toppings of your choice, so the flavor variation is limitless. Just for your information, the three most popular toppings are “salted salmon roe & salmon,” “egg yolk & ground meat,” and “pork kimchi & natto.” Why not try them if you are interested?
To accommodate tourists from overseas, they also have menus in English, Chinese, and Korean. The one thing you need to be careful with is that they only accept cash. It shows that they truly value direct interaction between people.
Some people might be surprised by the size of the big rice balls and wonder how to eat them, but don’t worry about it. “There are no set ways for eating rice balls, and we want you to enjoy the taste however you like,” says Ms. Ukon, smiling.
The exterior of Onigiri Bongo. You might have to wait in a line outside, so make sure to dress appropriately for the weather.
It is an extremely popular restaurant where there is always a long line, so it is recommended to go there “on weekday evenings or when weather is bad” if you want to avoid busy times. It is located a two-minute walk from the north exit of Otsuka Station, which is accessible by the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line. There you can enjoy the ultimate rice balls that let you feel the “soul of Japan” through their meticulous rice ball making process and the warm hospitality of the staff. Definitely visit Onigiri Bongo when you are in Tokyo.
■Onigiri Bongo Address: 2-27-5 Kitaotsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Business hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Closed on Sundays Official website: https://www.onigiribongo.info/ (Information as of July 2024)
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