In order to go on a business trip to the countryside from the morning, it's important to have a full stomach. So, I decided to visit a place that caught my eye with its name and ended up at a rice ball shop. Despite the early hour, the staff's service was outstanding. They bid farewell to customers they didn't even know with a smile, which was truly impressive. I purchased a ketchup rice ball, a famous dish from Osaka. It was slightly less seasoned compared to the Kanto style, but it was just right for breakfast. The portion was not too big, but not too small either. For 580 yen, I can go on my business trip feeling happy in the morning, which is truly appreciated as a salaryman.

I purchased a "Me-sashi Bento" for 550 yen and a grilled mackerel rice ball for 290 yen at "Yoneya Onigiri-ya" in Shinjuku. This onigiri specialty shop is located in the Shinjuku Station New South Exit area. I wanted a healthy lunch, so I chose the salted rice ball and Me-sashi bento, which reminded me of Edo or Meiji era station bento with pickled radish. This was my second time visiting, and last time I felt like it was a bit lacking, so I added the grilled mackerel rice ball this time. The saltiness of the Me-sashi and the salted rice ball paired well together. Although the grilled mackerel was a bit pricey, it had plenty of mackerel inside, so I was satisfied with the portion. If I had to point out something, it would be that the freshly made warm items had cooled down by the time I ate them for lunch, and the seaweed wrapped around them had become a bit soggy from the steam condensation on the wrap.

While searching for a bento to eat on the Shinkansen to Kyoto, I came across "Kikuta-ya Komekoku-ten," a rice ball shop, and decided to try their most popular option, the simple "Me-sashi Bento." The rice balls from "Kikuta-ya" were delicious, with a strong rice flavor and a fluffy texture that set them apart from convenience store options. The "Me-sashi Bento" was extremely simple, with just two pieces of raw fish and pickled vegetables in a bamboo leaf. Enjoying this simple meal on the Tokaido Shinkansen, I couldn't help but think of the historical novel "Tokaido Middle Knee Chestnut Hair." Thank you for the meal.

I had the "Yoneya Onigiri-ya" bento box for 500 yen at Shinjuku Shinsouth Exit. It consisted of 2 grilled salted rice balls and pickled radish, a simple yet nostalgic meal. The grilled rice balls were crispy and had a nice aroma, perfect for a quick lunch. However, be mindful of the strong smell that may bother others.

I bought two onigiri from a specialty shop inside Shinjuku Station as a light snack before getting on the bus. The charcoal-grilled chicken was 250 yen and the seasoned egg was 240 yen. It had been a while since I had onigiri, but as expected from a specialty shop, the rice balls were perfectly made. They were fluffy and melted in my mouth. The seasoning was just right, and the glossy rice with seaweed was delicious on its own. The charcoal-grilled chicken had a rich and fragrant flavor, making it possibly my favorite onigiri I've ever had. I will definitely buy this again. The seasoned egg had a refined flavor. The rice was lightly salted when being formed, and the seasoning was gentle. Personally, I would prefer the sauce on the seasoned egg to be a bit stronger, but it was still delicious. This would be perfect as a travel snack. I will definitely use this shop again when taking the bus from Shinjuku. Thank you for the meal.

At Newman Shinjuku, I found a stomach-friendly onigiri at Kikuta-ya Komekokuten Newman Shinjuku store! It seems to be a shop based in Kansai. With high expectations for an onigiri shop run by a rice shop, they are particular about the selection of rice, cooking method, and shaping. I chose the mixed rice for 250 yen. It was fluffy, gentle, soft, and had a comforting taste that soaked into my body. It's a bit pricey, but I felt satisfied!

On this day, as usual, I had a business trip to Yamanashi. I often end up having convenience store onigiri for lunch because I don't have much time, but that doesn't satisfy me each time. So, I decided to buy a lunch bento before boarding the limited express in Shinjuku, and I visited this place inside the Shinjuku New South Exit on the second floor of Newman. It's an onigiri shop run by a rice shop that has been passed down for 5 generations in Osaka. They have 6 stores in Osaka and Tokyo, with locations in Tokyo including here, Daimaru Tokyo Station, and Takashimaya Tamagawa. In addition to individual onigiri, the store also sells bento boxes. This time, I bought the sesame salt onigiri bento that I had been curious about. The bento includes two onigiri with side dishes wrapped in bamboo leaves, with choices of salmon, rolled omelette, and tuna sashimi. I purchased the "salmon bento" for 780 yen. During lunchtime on my business trip, I opened the bamboo leaves. Inside were two onigiri with white sesame seeds in the center, a piece of grilled salmon, and one plum. It was simple and reminiscent of the first ekiben (station bento) made by a ryokan in Utsunomiya, which consisted of rice balls and pickles wrapped in bamboo leaves. When I tasted it, the onigiri with roasted sesame and salt was delicious, even without any fillings. The quality of the salmon and Nanko ume plum was decent as well. Although 780 yen may seem a bit expensive, I think it was better than buying convenience store onigiri.

I received a salmon bento. The rice alone is delicious, and even more delicious with grilled salmon and pickled plum. The rice is fluffy and shiny even when cold. The salt in the salted rice ball is very tasty. There are only five stores in the chain, more like specialty stores. It's a must-have item when traveling far from Shinjuku Station.

I purchased a 500 yen "Metsuke" bento box at Kikutaya Komekokuten, a rice ball shop in Shinjuku. I bought it at Newman on the 2nd floor inside the south exit for lunch when heading to work. The location attracted bus drivers as well. The bento included two salted rice balls sprinkled with white sesame seeds, two pieces of mackerel, and pickled radish - a simple combination. If I were to give this bento to my high school daughter, she might cry and get angry. The south exit used to be a historic inn called Naito Shinjuku, so I gratefully enjoyed the meal as if I were an old traveler. Mackerel is often sold as a snack at the nearby Maruetsu, with about five pieces for 100 yen, so it is more of a side dish than a meal. Convenience stores and supermarkets tend to offer fried chicken or meatballs as bento side dishes, so the choice of mackerel was somewhat innovative. However, this alone was not filling enough, so I supplemented with a banana from the convenience store and three home-grown oranges that I peel and eat at work every day for added vitamins.

"Kikuta-ya Komekokuten, an onigiri shop inside Shinjuku Station, is known for its freshly made onigiri. Located in the basement of the Busta building in Shinjuku, this shop also has branches in Shin-Osaka and Daimaru Tokyo. The onigiri are made in the kitchen behind the store. They offer various types of onigiri and onigiri bento boxes. The bento boxes come in three varieties: salmon, rolled omelette, and squid. The 'Squid Bento Box' costs 450 yen and includes two sesame salt onigiri wrapped in bamboo-like packaging, two pieces of squid, and two pieces of pickled radish. The onigiri are lightly packed and made with firm rice, showcasing the quality of the rice they sell. The onigiri only have sesame seeds and coarse salt on top, enhancing the sweetness of the rice. The squid is chewy and salty, providing a nostalgic flavor. Eating the squid before the onigiri or pickled radish enhances the simple yet delicious taste. The price is reasonable, the portion is light, making it a perfect snack. The salty squid and firm rice would also pair well with alcohol."

I visited a shop at NEWoMan SHINJUKU 2F Ekimae on a weekend afternoon. It is located inside the JR ticket gates, surrounded by other takeout food shops. I bought some onigiri: Kakiage (230 yen), Salmon with sesame (240 yen), Beef shigure (250 yen), and Plum (210 yen). The prices were similar, but the quality seemed a bit higher. The taste of all of them was good. I enjoyed them as a snack during my trip or as a companion at Shinjuku Gyoen. Thank you for the meal.

Newman Shinjuku, a shop located inside the ticket gate area. The "Dashimaki Bento" (700 yen) comes in a compact package wrapped in paper. Inside, there are 2 salted rice balls, a dashimaki egg, a pickled plum, and 3 edamame beans wrapped in cellophane. The edamame beans are cooked just right with a nice balance of salt. The salted rice balls have a subtle saltiness with a good sweetness from the rice. The dashimaki egg has a delicate taste of dashi and salt. The pickled plum is full of fruit pulp with a good amount of acidity. The simple composition of the bento made it delicious to enjoy. I did some research on this shop, which originated from Osaka and found a research document from 2007 by Shigeru Yamazaki, a senior researcher at the Osaka Prefectural Institute of Industrial Research. According to the document, the history of Kikutaya dates back to 1879 when it was founded as a rice and wheat milling shop. The shop was later taken over by Kimie Matsuura in 1909 but closed in 1931. It was revived by the current president, Taro Higashii, who had a background in the rice milling industry. He aimed to convey the feelings of producers accurately to consumers and started selling high-value rice in department stores in 2004. The shop's focus on quality ingredients such as rice, salt, and seaweed is evident in their products. Their attention to detail and commitment to providing delicious and high-quality rice balls is commendable.

Around 1:20 PM on Monday, I went in search of lunch. I bought salmon for 270 yen and cod roe for 240 yen, totaling 510 yen! I purchased the top two best-selling items. By the way, the third item was labeled as spicy cod roe! It was an onigiri with plenty of filling! The restaurant has a Foodlog rating of 3.44 as of November 2020!

To celebrate the lifting of restrictions in Tokyo, I used the Go To Travel campaign to visit Odakyu Century Southern Tower. I received a 3000 yen regional coupon, so I decided to try out different breakfast options. In the Shinjuku station area, I found Pao Pao and another place that opens at 8 am. I wanted to try some rice dishes, so I opted for corn onigiri. I had heard that corn rice was delicious, but it exceeded my expectations with its aroma and flavor. However, I didn't enjoy the sweet rolled omelette, but my daughter liked it. Taste preferences vary greatly! The pickled plum that came with the bento was different from the usual ones. The rice in the onigiri was incredibly tasty, especially the corn onigiri. I used a 1000 yen regional coupon, and although the prices were a bit high, the quality was worth it. I would definitely consider coming back here again.

I used a day off on 12/09 to go back home. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while looking at the scenery from the car window. I arrived at the store at 8 o'clock and bought this rice ball. Dashi roll bento for 700 yen. It contained 2 sesame salt rice balls, a dashi roll, edamame, and pickled plum. The dashi roll had a good amount of broth. The sesame salt rice balls had rice cooked to my liking, a bit firm. It would have been even better for me if they were a bit saltier (not bad though). I enjoyed drinking canned beer with the dashi roll and edamame, and eating the sesame salt rice balls with pickled plum. Thank you for the meal~

I stood at the bus terminal early in the morning on September 27, 2019. I bought some cake and onigiri at NEWoMan and rode the long escalator up to the 4th floor of the bus terminal. It was my first time at the bus terminal. The waiting area was much more compact than I had imagined. I managed to find a seat in the crowded waiting area. I quietly unwrapped the package that looked like a wooden box. Inside were two round onigiri. They looked fluffy and were sprinkled with white sesame seeds. The onigiri seemed to have a bit more moisture and looked glossy and moist. Next to the round onigiri was a rolled omelette. Beside that were edamame beans and pickled plum. The onigiri looked moist and sticky, but strangely they were not too soft and had a good chewy texture. They were well put together. I have eaten them right after buying them in the store before, and the middle was still warm. The white sesame seeds added a fragrant aroma and depth to the flavor. The rolled omelette was also rich in broth, with a beautiful pale yellow color. It was a joy to cut it with chopsticks without a knife. It was a joy to see the broth oozing out. I felt refreshed as if I had just had a traditional Japanese breakfast at a high-class restaurant. Now, off to Lake Yamanaka!

Finally, you can feel the autumn breeze these days. When it comes to autumn, there are delicious foods like saury, matsutake mushrooms, salmon, and especially chestnuts. One of my favorites is chestnut rice balls. This year, I had chestnut rice balls at Takefundo in Karuizawa during the summer vacation, and recently bought chestnut rice at Tachikawa station, but I haven't had chestnut rice balls since autumn started. However, during a business trip to Yamanashi in the morning around 8:30 am, while walking in Shinjuku station, I found a limited-time "chestnut and mixed grain rice ball" for 240 yen at NeWoman (inside the ticket gate). This rice ball shop is directly managed by a rice shop that has been passed down for 5 generations in Osaka, and it seems that there are only two locations in Tokyo, here and at Daimaru Tokyo station. Since I hadn't had breakfast that day, it was perfect timing. I immediately bought the "chestnut and mixed grain rice ball" and decided to eat it at my usual spot, the public space on the second floor outside Takashimaya. Surprisingly, the rice ball I took out of the bag was still warm. It seems that the rice balls are made in the kitchen behind the sales floor. When I tried it, it was quite delicious, partly because it was still warm. The chestnuts, which were in two pieces, had a natural sweetness without being cooked in a sweet sauce. The rice had a slightly different flavor than I had imagined, probably because of the mixed grains. Personally, I would have liked some black sesame seeds as well. There's no end to desires, but it's a shame that it's rare to find chestnut rice balls that suit my taste. I'm thinking of checking out the Nagano Prefecture antenna shop in Ginza soon to see if they have started offering eat-in options.

The rice ball is big, and one is enough for women. The salt rice ball has a mild saltiness! Personally, I think it would be nice to have some pickled radish in addition to the pickled plum! The rolled omelette is also large, about the size of a normal tamagoyaki, so I was full. The packaging was also lovely, like something out of a fairy tale.

On this day in September 2019, I visited Shinjuku. I stopped by "NEWoMan Ekimae" inside the south exit ticket gates of JR Shinjuku Station. After looking around, I decided to buy breakfast from "Kikuta-ya Komekokuten," a rice ball shop. I purchased a corn rice ball for 200 yen. I enjoyed it the next morning at home, savoring the sweetness of the corn and the deliciousness of the rice. The location inside Shinjuku Station's ticket gates is convenient for transfers and I look forward to visiting again.

On May 28, 2019, I searched for "onigiri" near Shinjuku for the first time. I visited this place that came up in the search results. It was my first time entering Newman, which is located in the Busta Shinjuku. I arrived around 4:30 PM, and there were no other customers. There were many onigiri in the showcase. The cheapest single onigiri was 140 yen for a salted one. I was also interested in the highly rated bento boxes. There was a set of three onigiri on top of the showcase for 600 yen, with fillings like salmon, kelp, and plum. I decided to try it out. I returned home and ate it. The size was similar to convenience store onigiri, or slightly smaller. The seaweed was tightly wrapped and had a good aroma. The ratio of filling was just right. It was a normal experience, neither good nor bad. I was satisfied and full. Thank you for the meal.