Crowded rice ball shop in Kawaramachi. Looking at the items displayed in front of the store, oh, it's the "Pota-Tama" rice balls. Well, they don't call it that at this store, but... When I opened their website, I found out they have 3 stores in Aichi, 1 in Mie, and 1 in Kyoto. Even though they are doing well in Okinawa, it's not easy to replicate the quality. The shop's commitment is to use carefully selected "Koshihikari Koshihikari" rice, which has a strong taste and a satisfying texture, and cook it in a high-powered large pot. They offer over 20 types of rice balls, and the "Deluxe Rice Ball" list includes: - Shrimp Tempura with Aromatic Sauce - Grilled Tarako and Camembert Cheese - Grilled Miso Saba with Large Leaves - Fluffy Egg and Bonito Cheese - Grilled Pork and Egg, etc. They put effort into adding cheese and miso saba to enhance the deliciousness. I bought the following: - Fluffy Thick Egg with Bonito and Seaweed 270 yen - Fluffy Thick Egg with Flying Fish Roe and Red Bean Paste with Seaweed 290 yen - Grilled Pork and Egg 340 yen I decided to eat in on the second floor rather than take out, and luckily, there were plenty of empty seats. They also offered miso soup, but I opted for tea instead. As I started eating, I noticed that the "Pota-Tama" rice balls have the filling sandwiched between the rice, while at this store, they place the main filling on top of the rice and sandwich the seaweed and cheese in between. Regardless of the shape, it was incredibly delicious. The choice of rice, cooking method, seasoning of the fillings, and their dedication all contribute to the delicious taste. I will definitely buy again!

The eat-in experience was quite good during my visit on 22nd September 2023. I would rate it 5 out of 5. Taste: ★★★★, Presentation: ★★★, Cost performance: ★★★★★, Customer service: ★★★, Environment: ★★★★. While takeout may be a bit pricey, the second floor eat-in area had tea available, which was perfect for someone like me who wanted a light meal before diving into heavy desserts. Thank you for the meal.

At the onigiri shop in Kawaramachi, you can take out or eat on the second floor. I was a little scared climbing the spiral staircase with a tray of onigiri and pork miso soup. They have a wide variety of onigiri, which is nice. The pork miso soup was delicious with plenty of ingredients and a flavorful broth.

Kyoto has seen an increase in onigiri (rice ball) shops. This shop specializes in onigiri with a variety of grilled ingredients, using carefully cooked rice from a large pot and grilling the fillings over charcoal for a delicious flavor. They opened in Nagoya last October and just recently opened in Kyoto on May 1st. The shop is filled with a wide selection of enticing onigiri. You can watch the staff making fresh onigiri at the back of the shop, adding to the authentic experience. In addition to takeout, there is also seating available on the second floor. I purchased the "Fluffy Egg and Bonito Cheese" (330 yen) and the "Grilled Pork and Egg" (330 yen) and headed to the second floor. The rice they use, "Echigohokkai Rice," is large and tightly packed, providing a satisfying bite.

Is it possible to have such a luxurious lunch with onigiri and miso soup? The rice was incredibly delicious. I wanted to try more varieties, but buying a lot can be a bit expensive. I had the meat miso, shiso, and takome-shi onigiri. The takome-shi onigiri was so delicious, I was grateful. Living alone, drinking pork miso soup can make you shed tears.

It's in Kyoto. There was a shop along Shijo, near Teramachi. I happened to pass by the shop and saw a bunch of delicious-looking rice balls. I was in a hurry, so I initially walked past the shop, but I couldn't resist and ended up going back to buy some. I bought a chewy rice ball with flying fish roe, a pickled radish rice ball, a rice ball with whitebait and Japanese pepper, and a voluminous rice ball with chicken and shiso leaf. I thought they would be perfect for breakfast the next day since my hotel didn't provide breakfast. However, when I got back to the hotel and took a shower, I felt a bit peckish. I couldn't resist trying the flying fish roe rice ball first, and the popping texture of the fish roe and the crunchy pickled radish were incredibly delicious. So, I ended up reaching for the heaviest one, the chicken and shiso leaf rice ball, which was also very satisfying with the refreshing taste of shiso leaf. Once I started, I couldn't stop, and I quickly finished all the rice balls. The friendly service from the cute staff also added to the pleasant experience. If I happen to pass by the shop again, I will definitely buy more.

I visited the store during the day. There were many rice balls available, with a wide variety and beautiful appearance like sandwiches. I tried the Chirimen Yuzu Sansho rice ball for 194 yen (tax included), which had a refreshing yuzu flavor and a light taste. My friend bought a rice ball with mayonnaise and other sauces, which was delicious. The second floor had tables, chairs, a restroom, and complimentary water service, making it suitable for dining in. My friend who visited Japan really liked the rice balls and said they wanted to eat them before leaving Kyoto (laughs).

There were many cute and diverse onigiri that made me want to try them all. The main focus was on onigiri with side dishes, and the boys were happily choosing them and eating on the second floor eat-in space. Just like the name "omusubi" suggests, they were softly and gently made, like a mother's homemade onigiri. The rice was plump and delicious, and the tempura and chicken nanban were classic choices for side dish onigiri! It was amazing. The Kyoto yuba onigiri was sold out, so I would like to try it next time.

Today, I went to a rice ball shop that opened on May 1st. "Gochisou Yakimusubi Onimaru" is known for its evolution of rice balls with plenty of fillings. They specialize in rice balls where rice cooked in a large pot is grilled fragrantly with charcoal, topped with various ingredients. The main product is the "Gochisou Yakimusubi". The main store opened in Nagoya last year, and today they opened the "Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi store". There were many rice balls lined up in the store, and staff were making rice balls in the back. "Live cooking" is a point that Onimaru emphasizes. You can also enjoy the rice balls you purchased on the second floor. You can also order side dishes like pork miso soup and fried chicken. This time, I decided to eat in on the second floor. There were a few counter seats and table seats on the second floor. There was a microwave, so you can warm up the rice balls. It seemed to be a self-service style where you can freely drink tea. This time, I decided to try three rice balls here. - Grilled pork and egg: The store manager's recommendation, the "Gochisou Yakimusubi". It had pork cooked in sauce on top. When you look at the cross-section, you can see that the rice is folded in half with egg omelet, and the rice itself is also grilled. When I took a bite, I could taste the fragrant flavor and the deliciousness of the pork. The aroma of large leaves was a nice accent. - Onimaru special meat miso: A triangle rice ball overflowing with meat miso. When I opened it up, I found that it was filled with meat miso inside. I enjoyed the rich taste of miso, which stimulated my appetite. - Aromatic sauce shrimp tempura: On top of the folded rice ball, there were three large shrimp coated with special aromatic sauce. The rice was also grilled. I enjoyed the plump shrimp along with the aroma of large leaves. The fact that it is folded in two is also a characteristic of the "Gochisou Yakimusubi". This time, I was able to enjoy three rice balls. It was a unique rice ball shop where you can feel like "Wow, they're good at designing and serving rice balls!"

It's fun to choose from various types of onigiri at this shop! There's always a line, but it moves smoothly as you just pick up and pay. I want to try everything on the menu!

The affordable items were okay, but the more expensive ones were undeniably delicious.

The shop had a variety of unique rice balls with impactful toppings, not quite onigiri but not onigirazu either. I'm not usually interested in those types of items, but they also sold regular onigiri, so I decided to try a few. I chose "Honey-pickled bonito plum," "Salmon musubi," "Sesame seaweed," and "Flying fish roe with pickled daikon." The toppings were generous, and all priced in the 100 yen range, so it was reasonably priced. The flavors were generally mild, but the rice, which is their specialty, was delicious. I thought it might just be about the appearance, but with the right choices, this shop is worth a visit.

Ebi-Ten (Shrimp Tempura) Rice Ball: 421 yen Chirimen Yuzu Sansho (Dried Sardines with Yuzu and Japanese Pepper) Rice Ball: 194 yen~ Situation: Visited on Sunday around 14:05. There were about 5 people in line, but I received my order quickly. Taste: The Ebi-Ten and rice ball were a bit disappointing as they didn't blend well together. I had expected something like Tempura Rice Ball, but the rice and shrimp didn't mix well. On the other hand, the Chirimen Yuzu Sansho rice ball had a nice light yuzu flavor and was recommended for those who like dried sardines and want to try a Kyoto specialty. Other Information: Cashless payments accepted with various cards and PayPay (see photo). Napkins available, unsure about restroom availability, but there is seating upstairs so there might be one there.

The onigiri lined up on Kawaramachi Street looked delicious, so I bought a few to take home. I got the seared halibut, seared pork, egg, clam, and chicken with mushrooms. They all looked so good, I wanted to buy more, but I settled on these four for now. I tried the seared halibut onigiri and the seared pork onigiri, and they were both delicious with big fillings and bold flavors. My wife tried two of them and said she was full after eating two. But then she went on to eat cake afterwards.

I visited a shop that I had been curious about before! They offer both eat-in and takeout options. This time, I got takeout. Since it's a tourist area, there were many foreigners. The pork tamago had a nice seared flavor and the shiso flavor was delicious! However, the chirimen sansho didn't have much of a sansho flavor, which was disappointing. It had a strangely oily feeling. They had a variety of volume-style dishes, which was fun! Next time, I'll try a different volume-style dish!

The restaurant is located near the bus stop in Shijo Kawaramachi, opens at 10:00, and has a second floor. They use Koshihikari rice from Hiroshima's "Echobotama" for their rice balls. There are around 20 different types of rice balls available. I bought the popular Onimaru special meat miso rice ball.

Recently, there has been an increase in onigiri (rice ball) shops, which is great news for rice lovers like me! A new shop opened on May 1st between Shinkyogoku and Teramachi (along Shijo Street). They offer colorful onigiri and onigirazu, and you can either take them to go or eat in on the second floor. The onigiri are displayed in a normal way, but I wonder how they will be presented as the weather gets warmer. Some of their options include the classic Tuna Mayo (180 yen), the seared tarako and camembert (350 yen), and the shrimp tempura with aromatic sauce (390 yen). The prices seem a bit on the higher side, with the most expensive one being the eel onigiri (680 yen)! The rice is a bit soft for my taste. The Tuna Mayo was as expected, with a generous amount of filling. The onigirazu both had egg inside and were a bit difficult to eat due to the toppings, but they were delicious. I waited a bit before eating them, and they didn't get hard, which was a pleasant surprise. I thought they were more for show, but they were actually tasty too!

A shop facing Shijo Street. There are various types of onigiri, making it hard to decide. They have unique options like Iburi Gakko Cheese, which may be intimidating but pairs perfectly. They also offer classic choices like Okaka and Sea Chicken Mayo. I couldn't afford the high-end eel this time, but I might give it a try next time.

I found it while walking!! I don't usually line up at street stalls, but I saw this one and thought, "Onigiri...?? Looks dangerous..." so I went back and lined up. It just opened on May 1st? That was yesterday!! Excited, I waited in line with a foreigner behind me, smiling and waiting eagerly. The system was to pick your onigiri from a selection and they would place it in a basket. There were so many types to choose from!! I got really excited, took a bunch of photos, and ended up buying 4 onigiri. I still wanted about 5 more... The "Gochisou" onigiri were a bit pricey, like the 680 yen "Grilled eel with leek and sansho pepper", or the 450 yen "Grilled with flavored sauce, one-piece conger eel" which looked really delicious, but my choices for today were: - Grilled pork with egg 330 yen - Pickled flavored grilled salt pork belly 390 yen - Pickled flavored grilled large leaf miso mackerel 390 yen - Grilled Saikyo marinated cod 390 yen I seem to have a weakness for grilled and pickled flavors? The staff kept saying, "Freshly made! How about this one?" and I couldn't resist the warm onigiri in front of me. I chose them all. I'm not to blame, right? Anyway, I tried the "Grilled pork with egg" as soon as I got home. The ones labeled "Yakionigiri" seemed to have egg inside, and the rice was grilled over charcoal, with a soy sauce coating. It had a nice smoky flavor and the egg was just right. The shiso leaf was essential for this one. I thought I didn't need it, but it really made a difference. The egg wasn't too thick, which was perfect. I could still eat more. It seems they also have an eat-in option with a variety of side dishes like pork miso soup. Who could pass this up?? Even if you did, you'd probably end up like me, turning back after being drawn in. Apparently, if you collect 20 stickers, you get a free onigiri! (10 stickers for pork miso soup) It's the kind of thing you might accidentally throw away if you didn't notice! I've already got 4 onigiri. Follow me on Instagram @mapollo_gourmet for more affordable gourmet recommendations in Kyoto! Good value for money meals, sometimes indulgent treats.