A specialty onigiri shop called Hono Ka offers a variety of onigiri using seasonal vegetables and seafood, as well as unique options. They use Niigata-grown Koshihikari rice from the terraced rice fields of Matsudai-cho and Matsunoyama-cho, known for their abundant spring water and snowmelt. The onigiri are freshly made daily in the shop kitchen, with over 30 different options available. Some of the onigiri choices include Half-Boiled Egg Onigiri, Ebi Tempura Onigiri, Chestnut and Sweet Potato Onigiri, and Tuna Mayo Onigiri. The shop is located in the basement of Isetan Shinjuku in Tokyo.

I purchased onigiri at "Honoka" in Shinjuku. It is an onigiri shop located in the depachika of Isetan Shinjuku Store. I bought the Torotama Ham Katsu for 360 yen, Ebi Tempura Musubi for 270 yen, and Hagurumi for 240 yen. The Torotama Ham Katsu contains half-boiled egg and ham sandwiched in katsu inside a seaweed onigiri. It also has lettuce inside, making it surprisingly refreshing. The Ebi Tempura Musubi has tempura shrimp soaked in tempura sauce. It also has shiso leaf inside, which helps balance out the richness. You can even eat the shrimp tails. The Hagurumi, also known as mehari, is a unique onigiri with a mixture of rice and leafy greens (not sure what kind). It's quite savory and includes leafy greens mixed in the rice, making it a delightful choice for those who are conscious of their salt intake.

◼️"Selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields, this restaurant in Matsudai Town serves rice grown exclusively in Matsunoyama Town. They cook the rice in-store daily and hand-roll it for customers. ◆ Their signature dish features salmon and salmon roe from Ariake Sea, topped with steamed silver salmon and special soy sauce-infused ikura (salmon roe). The ikura has a rich flavor that adds a nice touch. The small portions leave you wanting more. ◼️ The restaurant accepts card payments. ◼️ As expected from a department store like Isetan, the prices are a bit high, but the taste is impeccable."

I felt like having onigiri. * Jumbo meat-wrapped rice ball 300 yen * Scallop simmered rice ball 220 yen * Soft-boiled egg rice ball 260 yen Total 842 yen. The onigiri is full of side dish flavors, and it fills you up properly. The Eatery rating (as of January 2020) is 3.07!

Onigiri Exploration The onigiri boom is still going strong, and I'm feeling hungry. I thought about having a simple lunch, so I stopped by Isetan, but they didn't have any bread. I wandered around and decided to go for onigiri for a quick meal. There was only one left, so I chose the baked bamboo shoot and plum with dried fish flakes. I guess I'm craving something sour, maybe because I lack minerals. The bamboo shoot with shiso is great. The crunchy texture of the bamboo shoot, light dashi flavor, and the perfect balance of shiso, nori, and cooked rice make it delicious. I rarely boil bamboo shoots at home because it takes too much time. As for the plum with dried fish flakes, I wonder if the salty flavor comes from the dried fish flakes or the crunchy plum? This also hits the spot – tasty. The body knows what it wants.

This is a onigiri shop located in the food section of Shinjuku Isetan. I think it may have been there for a while, as the old shop name is still displayed on Tabelog. I decided to get one for breakfast the next morning because they were having a late-night sale. However, they only had meat-wrapped onigiri left. Should I eat this for breakfast? Yes! I hesitated for a moment but decided to go for it. I had it for breakfast the next morning, and as I had feared, the oiliness and strong flavor were a bit much for breakfast. Maybe it would have been better as a snack instead... (lol)

I often saw foreigners buying it, so I also purchased a stylish rice ball. The prices were a bit high - soy sauce for 270 yen, cod roe for 240 yen, and pork cutlet with creamy egg for 360 yen. Tax is added on top of these prices. Despite the cost, it was delicious.

I came across this photo that was taken at the Isetan department store in Shinjuku, which was very crowded! When I visited Tokyo, I didn't plan on buying anything at the department store, but I couldn't resist purchasing the avocado cheese salmon onigiri that caught my eye. Avocado, cheese, salmon - all my favorite ingredients! It was sold in halves, not as a whole, and was relatively expensive. The avocado paste and salmon were the dominant flavors, with the salmon being thick and fresh. The ingredients were delicious, but I personally felt that the wasabi included was unnecessary and a bit too strong. The rice was average. Overall, it was a tasty onigiri, but I apologize for only evaluating based on this one item. There were many other varieties available, like the simmered egg onigiri, which I'm curious to try. I believe trying other onigiri options would lead to a higher rating.

I had a bento pack with crispy plum, tuna mayo, and cheeseburger onigiri for 324 yen. The shop sells onigiri face-to-face by lining them up in a showcase. It is located in the food section on the basement floor of Isetan Shinjuku, which has been around since the 1930s at the Shinjuku 3-chome intersection. The shop offers a wide variety of onigiri, and the competition for discounted items near closing time is an exciting event that stirs up a competitive spirit. Looking back, I realize there were many local rules to follow. Perhaps it is because foreigners like me tend to break the rules, causing discomfort and stress. I am human, so I am willing to listen, but please be careful (only in English). The rice was plump and in good condition. The feeling of happiness when eating a collection of rice grains is priceless. By the way, our group has branches under different names in department stores around the city center. If you have time, please look it up.

[Visit on October 22, 2016] Location: This shop is located in the basement floor of Isetan, about a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. I visited around 6 pm on a Saturday. As expected on a Saturday at Isetan, it was moderately crowded. The depachika area has a variety of food, including deli items and sweets, but it has a more luxurious atmosphere compared to other depachika. I walked around but couldn't find anything that caught my eye, so I decided to buy onigiri from this shop. They had a good selection of onigiri. Among them, I bought the meat-wrapped onigiri for 210 yen. I had it that night, and the meat-wrapped onigiri was quite small. If you're a man, you could probably finish it in one bite with a little effort. I took a bite, and the combination of the meat wrap and the rice inside was quite good. Meat-wrapped onigiri is a safe choice that I tend to buy without fail. I would like to visit Isetan again when I'm in the area. Thank you for the meal.

On September 25, 2014, when I went to the location of "Uonuma Club" at the B1 floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, I noticed that the atmosphere was somehow different. The products being sold were almost the same, and my favorite "Michinaka Bento" was also available. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the name of the shop had changed to "Honoka". I wonder if there were some "adult reasons" behind this... My favorite "Hiroshima vegetables wrapped onigiri" was not available. I got two servings each of pickled mustard greens stir-fry and salmon for my partner's lunch. The deliciousness of the rice is still there, or rather, it seems even more delicious than before. It may seem like a small amount, but I usually don't eat much. Well, it was a miscalculation that the onigiri had become smaller since the name change... (bitter smile). On this day, there was dessert available, so I restrained myself...

I was looking for food for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) at Shinjuku Isetan. I was looking for Japanese-style dishes and bought several items, so I was aiming for something to go with rice. There seems to be a shop called Uonuma Club that is like a store full of rice. I was wondering if they only had large onigiri. I checked it out. They had bite-sized onigiri! They looked like temari sushi, perfect for hanami. I didn't hesitate to buy them. There were two each of sakura shrimp, ikura, shiso and umeboshi, mentaiko, bonito flakes, and salmon. The taste was just average, but it was a perfect match for today's atmosphere.

【Location・Ambiance】Located on the basement floor of Shinjuku Isetan, this tenant specializes in rice-related dishes.【Atmosphere・Customer Service】In the section of Shinjuku Isetan where 4-5 tenants are surrounding a pillar, you'll find "Uonuma Club" as one of the Japanese cuisine-related areas. Next to it are tenants specializing in rice cakes and traditional Japanese sweets. During lunchtime, the focus naturally shifts to filling options, like the array of onigiri neatly lined up in two rows.【Food】● Ancient Red and Black Rice (with Kombu)This new product caught my eye with its name and visual appeal. It's like red rice onigiri with kombu inside, subtly flavored with sesame salt. The kombu has a nice crunchy texture and good seasoning. However, the slightly different saltiness of sesame salt and kombu may clash a bit, affecting the overall unity of the onigiri. Nonetheless, the rice is delicious, fluffy, and of high quality.【Price・Menu】The Ancient Red and Black Rice (with Kombu) was listed at 199 yen but actually priced at 198 yen. They offer nearly 30 varieties of onigiri priced around 200 yen each, as well as bento boxes.【Overall Impression】It may be pricier compared to other onigiri shops, but the quality justifies it. One piece is never enough, and you'll find yourself wanting more and more.

Today, the Kanto-Koshinetsu region has entered the rainy season. It seems to have come early this year. There is a slight drizzle. Around 6:30 PM, I was browsing in the basement of Isetan when I came across a shop selling a bento box called "Ayame" for half price - 525 yen instead of 1050 yen. Other shops are likely to start discounting soon. While a few hundred yen off is common, getting something at half price is quite rare. Other people were also exclaiming about how cheap it was and stocking up. The bento box was very colorful, with delicious Niigata-grown rice that was nice and chewy, and no chicken which I don't like, so I finished it all. The tempura and other fried items were decent in taste. The value for money is based on the original price before the discount.

This is a takeout-only onigiri shop located in the depachika of Isetan. They use Koshihikari rice from Uonuma. The size is small but thick. It's about 2/3 the size of a convenience store onigiri. - Pickled mustard greens stir-fry (169 yen) ☆3 There are not many ingredients, but it's quite spicy. - Simmered egg onigiri (249 yen) ☆3.5 A whole half-cooked egg with a runny yolk. The rice is a dark color but not as strong in flavor as it looks, more sweet and salty. - Minced plum (169 yen) ☆3 Contains small plums, yukari, and white sesame seeds. The recommended one is the simmered egg onigiri. I ate it the day after purchasing (the expiry date was the same day), so it might have been even more delicious if eaten on the same day.

On August 21, 2011, I enjoyed lunch at Florilege (reviewed) after six months, walked from Omotesando and Harajuku through Meiji Street to Shinjuku Sanchome. Then I bought bread at Le Petit Merc Tokyo in Marui and had it at home (also reviewed). I also went to Isetan to buy a bento box for dinner. After looking around the basement, we decided to buy bento boxes from Uonuma Club. I bought the Summer Outing Bento for myself (1050 yen) and my wife got the Hanamizuki Bento (840 yen). The basic idea is a traditional bento box but with various mini rice balls as the main feature. Next to the bento corner, they were selling individual rice balls of various kinds. It seems like the shop is known for its rice. Now, let's dig in. Not bad. The seasoning of the side dishes is light, without the heaviness or greasiness of convenience store bento boxes. After having French cuisine for lunch, it was nice to have a lighter dinner. The mini rice balls were easy to eat and offered a variety of flavors. The taste was not overpowering, and overall, it was decent. The bento boxes were of a higher standard compared to greasy convenience store bento boxes. However, I bought them after 6:30 pm, and the department store's famous (?) discount had already started. So, these bento boxes were actually half price... Therefore, the actual value for money is more than 4 stars. I was able to buy them at the level of convenience store bento boxes. It was satisfying. Some people might come here specifically for this reason. The rice itself was also quite good, as the shop's name suggests. Next time, I might buy individual rice balls. My wife mentioned that there were unique options like chicken rice balls. I might visit again in the future. Thank you for the meal.

Located in the food section of the basement floor of Isetan Shinjuku, this specialty store offers a variety of onigiri (rice balls). They introduce four new types of onigiri every month, making the selection diverse. I chose a bento box that included salmon, bonito, and plum onigiri along with fried chicken, simmered egg, simmered dish, and pickles. The price was 702 yen, providing a satisfying amount of food for the price. If you find it lacking, you can easily supplement with additional onigiri sold next to it. This is a great spot in Shinjuku to satisfy your onigiri cravings and worth remembering as an alternative to convenience store bento boxes.

Today the weather was bad, so I decided to get lunch from the department store basement. I thought I would try onigiri for a change, so I visited this shop. I bought the Ayamomo onigiri bento, which cost a little over 900 yen. Inside, there were three small onigiri, along with tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), shingyo (fried fish cake), nikudango (meatballs), steamed shrimp, simmered vegetables, and pickled radish. The portion size was small, but the content matched the price. The taste was light overall. The onigiri flavors were plum, salmon, and salmon roe, and they were not too salty and quite delicious. The staff's customer service was great with lovely smiles. I would like to visit again, perhaps during cherry blossom season. Thank you for the meal.

Tempura rice ball, parent and child, salmon and salmon roe. Isetan Shinjuku, basement floor of the department store. When I didn't have much time at the department store basement, I saw it in front of me and thought I would quickly buy something for tomorrow's breakfast. I wanted rice instead of bread, so rice balls were just right. The tempura rice ball had shrimp tempura, and although the rice ball itself wasn't that big, it was well seasoned and satisfying. The salmon roe had a salty taste and the rice was soft and well-packed, making it delicious. However, the cost performance may not be the best. Rice balls have a cheap image to begin with.