Onigiri

Opinion | ‘Boomerang word’ katsu, a Japanese borrowing of the English cutlet, among 2024 Oxford English Dictionary new entries

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The Oxford English Dictionary’s March 2024 update included a delectable 23 words of Japanese origin. More than half are food-related, including donburi, karaage, katsu, okonomiyaki, onigiri, takoyaki, tonkatsu, tonkotsu and yakiniku. This is unsurprising, given the continuing impact globally of Japan’s soft power through cuisine (and popular culture), with the rise in Japanese restaurants and … Read more

More popular than sushi? With onigiri rice balls in Japan rising in popularity, and people queuing 8 hours to buy them, one shop has big ambitions

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In the past, “no one came between lunch and dinner, but now customers queue non-stop”, says 71-year-old Yumiko Ukon, who runs the more than half-century-old shop. Ukon giving out small stools for queuing customers to sit on over an hour before Onigiri Bongo opens. Photo: AFP Some wait for eight hours, says Ukon, whose team … Read more