Nikumaki Onigiri: Local Food Guide (Miyazaki)

Pork marinated in a sweet and savory soy based sauce is wrapped around a bale shaped mound of rice and grilled to a golden brown. Take one bite and the toasty savor of the meat unites with rice steeped in the sauce. Born in Miyazaki City, this casual specialty is loved across generations for its ease and satisfaction.

Highlights

The prototype of nikumaki onigiri was born in 1992 as a staff meal at the tavern Zatsushokudo on Nishitachibana Dori in Miyazaki City. After winning acclaim from regulars, a specialty shop that opened in Miyazaki City in 1997 turned it into a product, and it took hold as a Miyazaki specialty. Pork is firmly seasoned with a soy based sauce, wrapped around rice, and slowly grilled in an oven, leaving the outside fragrant and the inside plump. It was triangular at first but changed to a bale shape for ease of eating. Easy to eat with one hand, it still delivers the full satisfaction of meat and rice. Being easy to carry, it is perfect for a bite between sightseeing.

Enjoying the Seasons

It can be enjoyed all year, but it makes an excellent companion during outing seasons. On a spring blossom viewing or an autumn excursion, taking it out to eat outdoors is exceptional. In summer it is delicious even cold, making it ideal for a lunchbox, while in winter it is best piping hot from the grill. Beyond the classic soy flavor, some shops offer twists such as spice or cheese.

Access and Basic Information

Specialty shops stand in downtown areas such as Chuo Dori in Miyazaki City and can be visited on a stroll. It is within walking distance of Miyazaki Station, so taking it out to enjoy at the station or a park is recommended. Some shops handle frozen mail order, letting you enjoy the afterglow of the trip at home. Even one is filling, a volume just right for a snack while walking.

A Quick Tip

Take a bite of the piping hot grilled version right on the spot. The fragrance of the sauce settles over time, so freshly made is the moment to aim for. When eating on the go, hold the wrapper firmly so the sauce does not drip.

Practical Travel Notes

• The prototype was a 1992 staff meal at the tavern Zatsushokudo on Nishitachibana Dori in Miyazaki City. A specialty shop turned it into a product in 1997.
• The key is the sweet and savory soy based sauce. Slowly oven grilled, it comes out fragrant outside and plump inside.
• The bale shape lets you eat it with one hand, good for eating on the go. Buy it in downtown areas such as Chuo Dori, within walking distance of Miyazaki Station.
• Beyond the classic soy flavor, shops offer twists such as spice or cheese. Some also handle frozen mail order.
• Aim for the freshly grilled version. Bite into the just made piece when the sauce is at its most fragrant, holding the wrapper firmly.