In the city of Sapporo, if you are in search of a quiet place to grab a quick bite to eat you can try out Arinko Onigiri. There are six Arinko shops in Sapporo. You can find them in popular spots such as Sapporo Station, the popular Sitatte, the Pole Town shopping walkway, or Aurora Town to name a few. An ‘Onigiri’ is simply a rice ball. It is steamed rice wrapped in dried seaweed (nori) and is usually molded into a triangle shape or oval shape. Within the center of the rice the onigiri has various fillings. Onigiri has an ancient history. It was during the Heian period (794-1185), balls of rice called tonjiki were eaten on picnics and while traveling. Onigiri was traditionally stuffed with umeboshi.

Originally, these rice balls were often wrapped in dried bamboo sheathes for handling while on the move. The custom of covering them in dried nori started around the mid-1800s. Since the umeboshi days, you can find a plethora of fillings such as salmon, cheese, cod roe, egg, pork, and numerous fish. With all this mind, take some time out to enjoy this quick snack that goes back hundreds of years. At Arino Onigiri you can munch down on some nice (and cheap) Onigiri. These are served with piping hot miso soup, making for a delicious paring.