For Japanese people, onigiri rice balls are a familiar and everyday food.
If you’re visiting Japan and want to eat some delicious onigiri, “ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU” in Asakusa comes highly recommended!
Popular onigiri featured in the Michelin Guide!
Established in 1954, ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU is said to be the oldest onigiri specialty store in Tokyo. Having been selected for the Bib Gourmand in the “Michelin Guide Tokyo,” it’s a popular shop in Asakusa that attracts not only locals, but also many tourists from overseas.
Inside the shop, there are two types of seating: counter seats, where you can watch the owner, Mr. Yosuke Miura, making onigiri; and relaxing table seats. Wooden plaque menus hang on the walls, providing the atmosphere of a sushi restaurant.
Owner Yosuke Miura
In the showcase right in front of the counter, various onigiri fillings are displayed. It’s quite convenient to be able to see and understand what each filling is at a glance.
A rich lineup of onigiri fillings, from classics to rarities
ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU offers onigiri with various fillings. Owner Miura says, “We’ve been preserving the fillings almost unchanged since our founding in 1954.
You can enjoy traditional options like “Sake (Grilled salmon)” and “Okaka (Dried bonito flakes),” as well as more unusual choices like “Hatogarashi (Red pepper leaf boiled in soy sauce)” and “Shiokara (Salted squid and squid guts).”
Menus in both Japanese and English are available outside the store
The “Umeboshi (Japanese ume plum pickled in salt)” has a soft skin and a pleasant sourness that pairs perfectly with rice. They use the highest grade Nankō ume variety from Wakayama Prefecture, famous for its ume plums.
“梅干,” Umeboshi (Japanese ume plum pickled in salt) 341 JPY (tax included)
Like ume plum, kombu kelp is also a traditional onigiri filling. The restaurant’s “Kombu (seaweed and mushroom boiled in soy sauce)” has a sweet and savory taste that you can enjoy with each bite. Featuring tsukudani (small seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin), the filling is made by simmering the kelp with shiitake mushrooms, creating a rich umami flavor.
The saltiness of the onigiri and the sweet and savory taste of the simmered kombu blend perfectly, creating an addictive deliciousness.
“こんぶ,” Kombu (seaweed and mushroom boiled in soy sauce) 341 JPY (tax included)
The “Beni-shoga (Red ginger pickled in plum vinegar),” which is not commonly found at typical onigiri specialty shops, is also a must-try filling, with a refreshing, mild spiciness. Its appetite-stimulating flavor is a big hit not just with locals but international diners.
“紅生姜,” Beni-shoga (Red ginger pickled in plum vinegar) 319 JPY (tax included)
The restaurant’s “Ikura (Mild salmon roe pickled in salt)” is also a highly popular filling. ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU’s ikura onigiri has firm eggs that pop when you bite into them, with a salty taste and moderate sweetness. This onigiri packed with plenty of salmon roe is a luxurious item that feels like eating sushi.
“いくら,” Ikura (Mild salmon roe pickled in salt) 770 JPY (tax included)
During lunchtime, you can order a set menu that includes your choice of onigiri and miso soup. You can choose either two or three onigiri of your liking. If you’re still feeling hungry, you can also order à la carte!
Enjoy the exquisite onigiri with a comforting red miso soup.
“昼のセット,” Onigiri Set A starting from 814 JPY (tax included)
Refined techniques and preserved tradition
Onigiri are typically made with three components: rice, nori seaweed, and a filling.
At ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU, they change the rice used for their rice balls every year.
This is because the taste of rice changes depending on the weather conditions.
To create the ideal onigiri, owner Miura tastes and compares 20 to 30 types of rice every year. As of July 2024, when we visited the restaurant, they were using Koshihikari from Niigata Prefecture, a variety that offers a pleasant stickiness and sweetness.
The hallmark of ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU is the softness of the onigiri.
The onigiri is shaped to just the right firmness so that the rice gently falls apart in your mouth, a result of the owner’s expert technique. After shaping, it’s wrapped with Edo-mae nori (nori seaweed harvested from Tokyo Bay) to complete the onigiri.
Watching the refined techniques up close is one of the unique pleasures of sitting at the counter at ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU.
ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU welcomes international tourists
For those who don’t understand Japanese or are unfamiliar with onigiri fillings, there are English menus with photos to ensure easy ordering. Owner Miura can communicate in English, so you can consult with him if you’re having trouble choosing from the menu.
Menus are available in English
ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU, managed by a true Edokko (Tokyo native) with a refined taste, is a place where you can experience the quintessential atmosphere of Asakusa.
If you visit Asakusa, be sure to try this “taste of the people” that has been loved for generations in this traditional downtown area.
Information
| Store name | おにぎり浅草宿六 ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU |
|---|---|
| Address | 3-9-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
AsakusaStation 6-minute walk from Exit A2
Asakusa Station 10-minute walk from Exit
|
| Phone number | 03-3874-1615 |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | Mon. & Thurs-Sat. 11:30-until rice runs out, 17:00-until rice runs out Tue-Weds. 11:30-until rice runs out |
| Closed | Sunday |
| Seating | 16 seats 8 counter seats, 8 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://onigiriyadoroku.com/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of August 2024.
