, also known as , or
rice ball, is a
Japanese food made from
white rice formed into triangular or cylinder shapes and often wrapped in
nori (seaweed). Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled
ume (
umeboshi), salted
salmon,
katsuobushi,
kombu,
tarako, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural
preservative. Because of the popularity of onigiri in
Japan, most
convenience stores stock their onigiri with various fillings and flavors. There are even specialized shops which only sell onigiri to
take out. Due to its popularity in Japan, the trend of small restaurants selling onigiri has traveled to the American West coast, specifically California.