Onigirazu
A flat Japanese rice sandwich wrapped in nori seaweed — the bentobox sandwich reimagined for modern life.
Origin Story
Onigirazu ('rice that hasn't been shaped') was popularised by the manga Cooking Papa in 1991. Unlike traditional onigiri (rice balls), onigirazu is assembled flat and wrapped in nori to create a sandwich-like cross-section. It went mainstream in Japan in the 2010s when home cooks discovered it was easier to make than rolled sushi and more versatile than regular onigiri.
Cultural Context
Onigirazu represents the Japanese genius for adapting foreign concepts (the sandwich) through native materials (rice, nori) to produce something entirely new. It sits in Japanese food culture between bento box content and convenience food, and has spread globally as a gluten-free alternative to bread sandwiches that satisfies the same portable meal need.
Recipe
Place a sheet of nori on plastic wrap in a diamond orientation. Spread cooked, seasoned sushi rice in a square in the centre. Top with fillings (options include salmon and avocado, teriyaki chicken and cucumber, spam and egg). Spread more rice on top. Fold in the four corners of the nori to enclose the filling completely. Wrap tightly in plastic, rest 5 minutes, then cut in half through the middle.