I often buy onigiri as a snack for my train journeys lately. This time, I decided to eat onigiri again. I visited a onigiri shop inside Ecute Tachikawa, where a variety of onigiri were displayed, making it hard to decide what to buy. After much deliberation, I purchased the Tachikawa store limited Anago Mabushi Onigiri. At first, I couldn't see the eel in the onigiri, but as I ate more, I found it. The taste was okay. I am curious about the classic onigiri next time, so I will try that.

I bought onigiri from an onigiri shop at Tachikawa Station to take on a hike to Okutama. I was expecting the onigiri to be delicious, but they were just average. The size was small, and I also bought some fried chicken, but convenience store onigiri would have been much better.

This time, I would like to introduce a bento shop located inside JR Tachikawa Station. "Homareya" is operated by NRE, a subsidiary of JR East Japan's food and beverage business. Due to this relationship, they offer local specialties such as Ofuna's "Anago Pressed Sushi" and Nara's famous "Kakinoha Sushi". Tachikawa Station is a stop for the "Azusa Limited Express" connecting to Shinshu, making it a convenient store for purchasing bento before boarding. This time, I purchased for home use. I ordered the Kakinoha Sushi for 1,080 yen and the Anago Pressed Sushi for 750 yen. Kakinoha Sushi by Sasabay Nara's Yoshino specialty "Kakinoha Sushi", as the name suggests, is a bento where four kinds of seafood (mackerel, salmon, sea bream, horse mackerel) wrapped in persimmon leaves can be enjoyed with flavorful vinegared rice. Anago Pressed Sushi by Shonan Kamakura Ofunaken Anago Pressed Sushi using one whole eel to make six pieces of pressed sushi. The slightly sweet sauce drizzled over the simmered eel pairs well with the vinegared rice. In total, it cost 1,830 yen. Thank you for the meal.

There is an onigiri shop at ecute east in Tachikawa. It opens at 7 am, which may be a bit early or late for commuting, but it's perfect for travelers as you can buy before the first Azusa train. I purchased the limited edition onigiri with trefoil and scallop tempura, as well as the 3rd most popular whole boiled egg. The trefoil and scallop tempura didn't have a strong presence as fillings, but the broth-infused coating was delicious. It felt like eating carbs with carbs, but it was tasty. The boiled egg, unlike the usual sweet and savory flavor in convenience store onigiri, had a bonito flavor which was more sophisticated. It was surprising at first, but I think it works well.

NRE, a subsidiary of JR East Japan, operates a take-out business at the station called "Ekimae East." It is located within the station premises, separated from "Ekimae West" by ticket gates, so you have to go down to the platform and back up to move between them. Tachikawa Station seems to have high demand for onigiri and ekiben sales as it serves as a starting point for hikers heading to the Okutama Mountains. While browsing through the showcase, I came across a unique onigiri called "Marugoto Nitamago," which is a whole boiled egg wrapped in soy sauce-flavored rice and seaweed. It cost 260 yen each, which is quite expensive compared to convenience store onigiri. I enjoyed it on the platform of the Nanbu Line. The yolk was not too runny but rather firm, so it wasn't messy to eat. It tasted just as I expected, simple and delicious.

Spicy cod roe for 200 yen. It is packed with plenty of ingredients. It's delicious with lots of filling inside and on top.

I decided to board the downbound limited express Azusa after transferring at Tachikawa Station. It was early in the morning, with a transfer time of about 10 minutes from the Nanbu Line. While there was an option to replenish with dark soy sauce, I ended up impulsively buying an onigiri from our shop that I saw on the concourse, mainly because I was carrying heavy luggage. However, as I looked around the station, I noticed various food and takeout shops. Among the traditional onigiri, bento boxes, and side dishes, there was also a unique onigiri called "Whole Simmered Egg" in a tea-brown color. I opted for a safe choice of pickled plum and grilled cod roe. I had it packed and boarded the train. The train was packed with passengers, as it was the summer outing season. I enjoyed the familiar view from the window while eating the onigiri. The onigiri was neatly shaped, with just the right amount of pickled plum or grilled cod roe inside. The rice was cooked firm, testing my chewing ability. I washed it down with tea and finished it before reaching the mountainous area. Compared to the Gombei onigiri that I'm used to, the size was a bit small, so it felt somewhat lacking, but it was suitable for a light meal on the train. By the way, two onigiri cost 410 yen. I secretly thought to myself that this was not much different from having a standing soba noodle meal.

I visited in the evening on a regular day. It has been about 5 years and 3 months since my last visit. This time, I decided to try the limited-time edamame and plum onigiri (190 yen). Just like at a bakery, it's hard to choose which onigiri to get. I paid with my Suica card, so no need for coins, very convenient. I enjoyed the edamame and plum onigiri at home. The texture of the edamame and the sourness of the plum were great. Perfect for summer onigiri. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. 2018.07.10 Eating while walking.

This is a rice ball shop inside JR Tachikawa Station. It's a small shop, but they sell various rice balls and inari sushi. The cheapest item is the salt rice ball (120 yen), with prices ranging around 180 yen as the main price range. The most expensive item on the day of my visit was the chicken Karaage Nanban sauce rice ball (230 yen). I tried the Japan Sea horse mackerel sushi (700 yen), which comes in a plastic case and is one of the pricier items on the menu. It's a bit expensive at 700 yen for 4 pieces, but it comes with disposable chopsticks, a wet wipe, and soy sauce in the box. The size of each piece is quite large, similar to sushi from a conveyor belt restaurant. The horse mackerel is vinegared, with a strong vinegar and salt flavor. The rice is neatly shaped, indicating it was likely made by a machine, and the overall taste is mild, probably for safety reasons. It seems like this sushi was made to be a suitable snack for outings like a station bento. The shop is managed by NRE, a company that dominates the food and beverage industry within JR East Japan, so it's located in a prime spot and sold at a higher price. However, they seem to understand the customers' needs and offer a moderate level of high quality. It's not a shop I would actively visit, but it's satisfying when needed.

There is a takeout-only onigiri shop inside JR Tachikawa Station. They have a limited variety of onigiri compared to other specialty shops. They also sell inari sushi, so overall the variety is pretty average. I tried the Pork Sesame Bulgogi Inari (tax included 160 yen), and it was a unique find with the pork bulgogi on top of the inari sushi. The inari sushi itself was sweet with a hint of sesame flavor, quite delicious. The pork was a bit cold when served, so the fat lingered in the mouth. The seasoning was not spicy, but rather sweet, which paired well with the inari sushi.

I always saw this shop when I was heading to work, and I had been curious about it for a while, but it seemed a bit pricey so I kept putting it off. But today, I felt like being spontaneous (´・Д・) Visited the shop at 11:10. Oh, it's still expensive, right? ((((；゜Д゜))))))) I didn't really look closely at the showcase because I didn't want to be called out and have a hard time leaving. I just glanced at it quickly as I walked by (。-_-。) Nothing cheap, nothing cheap, like an oni from Namahage, I looked at the showcase. Even the plum was 170 yen, no escape ((((；゜Д゜)))))))... Let's brace ourselves. Yes, let's go play it safe (´・Д・) Bought the "Salmon Onigiri (190 yen)" labeled as the most popular, and the "Takana Mentaiko Roll (200 yen)" labeled as the second most popular. The service was cute (´・Д・) Ate them on the station platform. So, let's see. First, the Takana Mentaiko Roll. It's not tightly wrapped all the way to the back, maybe because of the size of the leaves? The rice is plump and slightly soft. The mentaiko is plentiful. The saltiness of the takana is light, balancing with the mentaiko. It's not too heavy. Finished in 3 bites. 3 bites, huh... The Salmon Onigiri also has plenty of salmon flakes as filling. The salmon is flaky and lightly salty. The rice is also soft and plump, but a bit watery. Finished in 3 bites as well. Hmm, it's still expensive. For the same price range, I'd still prefer Honotei for better quality, or Gonbei for a cheaper and more filling option. Onigiri is simple, so the difference in quality is quite noticeable. Of course, there may be individual preferences, but I don't think it's worthy of boasting about itself as "Honore." Maybe that's why it's called "Homare" (^_^;)

On my way home around 9:45 PM, I saw a sign for a 50 yen discount at the store. I decided to buy some items to take home, but I couldn't take my time because I had to transfer. I couldn't pass up the salted rice ball, and I also wanted to try the fried tofu sushi. Both items were originally 120 yen each, but with the discount, they were only 70 yen each, totaling 140 yen. I was surprised by the low price and even asked the staff if it was correct. The salted rice ball had the perfect balance of sweetness from the seaweed and saltiness. The fried tofu sushi was good, but I'm more used to the ones at Ekiute, so it was just okay. Considering they were the same price, I wish the fried tofu sushi was a bit bigger. I wonder if the store closes at 10 PM. Despite the late hour, the bright smile of the staff gave me a boost of energy.

When I transferred at Tachikawa, I was drawn to this shop and decided to try their inari sushi. "Homareya" is a shop in Nippori Ecute where I had bought inari before, but I'm always attracted to their unique inari. I bought the "Lotus Root and Plum Rice Inari" for 220 yen (tax included) and the "Beef and Chickpea Curry Inari" for 200 yen (tax included). The inari are small, and although I thought they were a bit pricey, I couldn't resist. The Lotus Root inari has beautiful lotus root on top with plum rice underneath, which is flavorful with the taste of plum. The Beef inari has only one chickpea on top, and underneath the curry-flavored beef soboro, there is just regular sushi rice (lol). Despite the high price, this shop offers unique and enjoyable inari.

[Visit on December 15, 2015] This shop is located inside Tachikawa Station. I visited just before 9:30 pm on a weekday. It's nice that they are open even at this time. The sweets shop next door was also open. I bought a salmon rice ball for 190 yen as a late-night snack. They had a wide variety of options besides salmon. I ate it about 2 hours later and the rice was cooked perfectly, and the salmon tasted good with quality ingredients. It's great to have shops like this open late at night. Thank you for the meal.

Today, I went to Showa Kinen Park to see the cosmos flowers (^-^)/ When changing trains at Tachikawa to the Ome Line, I couldn't resist buying something again. It was delicious without a doubt. Plus, I went around 1 o'clock so I got a 200 yen discount, making it 500 yen. What a deal! Another great tip: on this day, it was Urban Greenery Month so entrance to the park was free. And next week on October 25th, it's the park's anniversary so entrance will be free again. If the weather is nice, be sure to visit! In April 2015, at Tachikawa Station on the connecting staircase, I found a bento shop. I discovered a "30-item Balanced Bento" for 900 yen, which was a reasonable price. Perfect for enjoying the tulips at Showa Kinen Park. It had a variety of items, was healthy, and inside the box, there were descriptions of the ingredients and menu which made eating it more enjoyable. The 30-item Balanced Bento included red fish with white soy sauce, vegetable omelette, lotus root with soy sauce, hijiki plum rice, kinoko mushroom with yuzu, chicken with Japanese mustard, and scallop and vegetable yuba with sauce. It seemed like a good amount for a woman to eat. Also, I tried three different types of inari sushi: shirasu and lotus root, spring-like fujiki inari, and bamboo shoot and perilla seed inari.

【Visit Motive】In the morning, my wife suddenly said she wanted to go see the cosmos flowers, so we quickly searched and took the train to Showa Kinen Park. We stopped by for lunch to secure a meal. (Disappointing lunch...)【Atmosphere】The store is located on the 2nd floor in the station (inside the ticket gate). The exterior of the store is a small onigiri shop, with face-to-face sales.【Taste】We sat on a bench in the park and shared the food. ●Kinpira kakiage 240 yen - It had burdock and a fatty texture, and the rice was fluffy, so the texture was not bad. But the price? Rating: 2.8 out of 5 (average rating 3) ●Takana wrapped 200 yen - It had chopped takana in the center, with a moderate saltiness. Rating: 3.0 out of 5 (average rating 3) ●Grilled tarako 180 yen - It had a moderate amount of grilled tarako in the center. Rating: 3.0 out of 5 (average rating 3) ●Three-color thick roll 290 yen - A typical three-color roll with a dense rice texture. Rating: 3.0 out of 5 (average rating 3)【Information】The cosmos flowers in Showa Kinen Park will be in full bloom in 1-2 weeks.【Overall】It's not very impressive for a specialty store. Convenience store items might taste better? Maybe the bento would have been better?

Every morning, I make onigiri bento for my partner, but I don't have one for myself!! Today is a busy day at work, so I have to buy lunch. I bought my favorite onigiri from Ho Mamereya at Tachikawa Station before going through the ticket gate. It's a whole boiled egg inside the onigiri, like a flavored egg onigiri. It's very big, so one is enough. It costs 240 yen. The rice on the outside is sprinkled with bonito flakes. The boiled egg is perfectly soft-boiled with a good balance of salt. I brought it with me in a stainless steel bottle and enjoyed it with hojicha tea. It's a simple lunch. I may not reach the recommended 30 different types of food in a day, but for today, this is good enough.

There is an onigiri shop inside Tachikawa station. I had heard about it from a fellow reviewer, but had trouble finding it. I checked the Ekiute website and found out it's inside the Tokyo side ticket gate. It turns out it's right by the side I always use, I just never noticed it because I always head straight for the Chuo Line. I went close to closing time, so there were only a few left. Luckily, they still had my favorite kind available, the salt onigiri. It was packed a bit tightly, giving it a homemade feel. It's common for specialty shops to have smaller sizes, and this one was no exception. It seemed like they wrapped it in plastic right after making it, as there were water droplets on the surface. The saltiness was just right, not too strong. It was definitely better than convenience store onigiri, but not by much.

One day in June 2012, around 1 pm on a weekday, I bought onigiri for lunch for the first time at home. The shop is located in the Kokuritsu-kata Concourse of JR Tachikawa Station, selling ekiben and onigiri. JR Tachikawa Station is a major transportation hub where the Chuo Main Line, Ome Line (Itsukaichi Line), and Nambu Line converge. On weekends in the morning, you can see people in hiking attire buying onigiri at this shop before heading to the mountains. When I saw the onigiri lined up in the showcase, I was spoiled for choice, but I ended up buying a tuna mayo onigiri (160 yen) and a red salmon onigiri (180 yen). I enjoyed them at home and found the rice to be fluffy and delicious, with plenty of filling. Apart from this shop in Tachikawa, there is also an ecute Nippori store. In July 2012, on a Saturday, I bought onigiri for lunch again. This time, I had Hakata mentaiko and Kishu plum onigiri. The fluffy texture was so good that I became a regular customer! Also in July 2012, on another Saturday, I bought onigiri for lunch again. This time, I had bonito and green chili pepper, and tuna mayo curry onigiri. The tuna mayo curry was delicious! It has a unique taste that is addictive. I will definitely buy the tuna mayo curry again! In September 2012, on a Sunday, I bought chicken rice and simmered egg onigiri. The simmered egg onigiri has a whole boiled egg inside the rice, making it a voluminous dish. In April 2013, on a weekday evening, I bought shiso ume (160 yen) and another tuna mayo (160 yen) to eat later at night. The fluffy texture of the rice never disappoints no matter when I eat it. I'm glad to be born Japanese! In March 2014, on a Saturday, I bought onigiri for lunch again after a long time. This time, I bought chicken rice (180 yen) and tuna mayo (170 yen). The fluffy texture of the rice was impressive as always. In April 2014, on a Saturday morning, I bought the usual tuna mayo (170 yen) and a seasonal limited edition, colorful ten-grain onigiri (170 yen). I'm a fan of the tuna mayo, and the colorful ten-grain onigiri had a variety of ingredients that made it delicious. In May 2014, on a Sunday morning, I bought the usual tuna mayo and chopped takana (160 yen). The tuna mayo is undeniably delicious, and the chopped takana was spicy and tasty. In July 2014, on a Saturday morning, my wife, 7-year-old daughter, and I went on a trip on the Azusa Limited Express, and we bought the "Homareya Set" (500 yen) for breakfast to eat on the train. The "Homareya Set" includes two onigiri - chicken rice and salmon, along with a rolled omelette and chicken karaage. We enjoyed the delicious onigiri and felt happy as a family from the morning.

Title: Home Gourmet - Station Bento Album Entry Top: Blown-in Bento "Haru Komachi" @ Tachikawa Station Date: 2014.05.16 I took the Holiday Rapid View Yamanaashi from Tachikawa Station to go to Kobuchizawa, but this train does not have onboard sales. So, I bought a bento for lunch. It is convenient because it is available inside Tachikawa Station without going through the ticket gate. Japan Restaurant Enterprise - Homaerya Onigiri is the main shop, but they also sell various types of bento. The one I bought was the Blown-in Bento "Haru Komachi" for 1,350 yen. It includes grilled miso-flavored mackerel with yuzu, warabi and carrot noodles with shiso flavor, bamboo shoot and sakura shrimp sweet vinegar salad, squid and edamame with soy sauce, mountain udo soy sauce pickles, thin bamboo shoots, vegetable-filled chicken dumplings, burdock and konnyaku rolls, egg omelet, myoga vinegar pickles, young sweetfish tempura, shrimp and dumpling crouton fry, nagaimo simmered in soy sauce, simmered dish (mugwort gluten, butterbur, crab-flavored tofu sandwich, taro, lotus root, konjac, pumpkin, decorative carrot), bamboo shoot rice (made with organic certified rice Akita Komachi from contracted cultivation farms), ear of bamboo shoot, fava beans, cherry blossoms, cherry bean paste mochi. It's not bad, but 1,350 yen is a bit expensive, I think.