Rice ball - Nigirimeshi

Japanese: 握飯 - にぎりめし

A ball of rice that has been hardened. It is also called onigiri or omusubi. It is usually salted and shaped into a triangle, circle, or bag, with pickled plum, dried bonito flakes, salted salmon, etc. inside, or wrapped in nori, kelp, pickled takana, or dried wakame seaweed. It can be eaten by hand and is easy to carry, so it is often used as a portable food. In some regions, it is made on special days and offered to gods and Buddhas. As the Teijo Zakki states, "Tonjiki means rice balls," it has been called tonjiki since the Heian period, and was given to officials and attendants at ceremonies and banquets.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

飯をにぎり固めたもの。おにぎり，おむすびなどともいう。ふつう塩をつけて三角形，丸形，俵形などににぎり，梅干し，鰹節，塩ザケなどを中に入れたり，ノリ，トロロコンブ，タカナ漬，干しワカメなどで包んだりする。手づかみで食べることができ，持ち運びに便利なため携行食とされることが多い。地方によっては晴の日に作り，神仏に供えるところもある。《貞丈雑記》に〈屯食と云はにぎり飯の事也〉とあるように，古く平安時代以降は屯食（とんじき）と呼ばれ，儀式や宴会のさい諸司や従者に給された。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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