Pouring Skill and Passion Into Every Grain of Rice: The Rice-Cooking Masters Behind 7-Eleven’s “Onigiri”
Onigiri—rice balls wrapped in seaweed—are one of the most familiar foods to Japanese people. They’re enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.
But when did it become so easy to pick up an onigiri anytime, anywhere? Perhaps it started when convenience stores began offering them on their shelves.
This time, we will explore the heart of 7-Eleven’s onigiri: the rice itself, and the rice masters who devote themselves to bringing out the very best in the rice.
Cooking with All Five Senses: Protecting the Flavor of the Onigiri
"7-Eleven first onigiri was sold in 1978. Until then, it was something people only made at home. Therefore, at the time, many thought there was no way it would sell," recalls Ikeda from the Rice/Noodle Department, Merchandising Division, at Seven-Eleven Japan.
Ikeda
Although sales were slow at first, the crisp seaweed texture and deliciously cooked rice gradually won over customers. Since then, Seven-Eleven Japan has worked with daily manufacturers like Warabeya to keep developing new varieties of onigiri.
To further raise the quality of rice cooking, 7-Eleven introduced the Rice Master system in 2015. After years of hands-on training at partner factories and passing rigorous exams, these professionals oversee the precise cooking of rice at each facility.
One such rice miester is Takashima from Warabeya Nichiyo Foods’ Tokyo factory.
Takashima
I’ve loved 7-Eleven since I was a kid, especially the Tori Gomoku onigiri. My family always bought it whenever we went out together. It’s still my number one favorite. So, when I joined Warabeya, it felt natural to dive into learning everything about rice cooking.
Ikeda
I met Takashima at the Master ceremony, but I didn’t know he liked onigiri that much until he became a rice master. That makes me happy.
Takashima
I even asked to be placed in the rice department when I joined. Taking the rice master examination was just the next natural step for me.
Ikeda
That is encouraging. Our goal is to have at least two rice masters at each factory, but we’re not there yet. Rice cooking is complex—flavors change with weather, growing regions, and storage conditions. Rice masters need the expertise to ensure consistent taste under any circumstances.
Takashima
We use all five senses, but the most important is the tongue—what we call the ‘belo-meter’ which is the ability to use one's tongue to determine the quality of taste and texture.
Deliciousness Prioritized for the Moment You Eat
The ideal texture that rice masters strive for is "distinct grains with just the right stickiness." Simple words, but in practice it means managing countless factors such as temperature, humidity, and the time it takes for rice to travel from factory to store.
Takashima checks the rice cooking condition by touch and sight.
Takashima
By the time rice makes it to the shelves, its condition keeps changing. So we deliberately add a little more water when cooking, ensuring it stays moist and tasty until the expiration date.
Ikeda
So you’re cooking it slightly softer, anticipating that time lag. But delicate adjustments like that can’t be standardized. How do you manage them?
Takashima
That’s the real challenge. For example, when I previously worked at the Yokohama factory, we used IH rice cookers. But here in the Tokyo factory, it’s direct gas flame. The heating strength and speed differ, so I need to fully understand the equipment and fine-tune the firepower accordingly.
Ikeda
I was aware of the hard work that Takashima and his team had done, but when I hear about it like this, that’s true craftsmanship.
Delivering Quality Despite Changing Conditions
It has been nearly 50 years since 7-Eleven developed its first onigiri. With the rice master system, quality has only improved. But the environment has changed dramatically—climate shifts and rising raw material costs mean "business as usual" no longer applies.
Takashima
I’ve always checked the weekly weather forecast, but with this summer’s record heat, I’ve been paying closer attention than ever. Normally, I can simply adjust the cooking conditions using last year’s data as a reference, but this time there’s another issue…
Ikeda
If the heat wave continues, it will reduce the harvest and affect the quality of the rice.
Takashima
Exactly. In recent years, harvest conditions and rice quality have been changing every season, so we run cooking tests over and over. This variety tends to hold its shape well, while that one comes out stickier and needs a final adjustment in heat. We fine-tune the process each year to match the rice we’re working with.
Ikeda
While rice masters ensure the final taste of our onigiri, what troubles us more each year is the rising cost. And it’s not just rice—seaweed prices have also been climbing.
That’s why we came up with products that taste great even without seaweed. One example is the Ichiban Dashi Onigiri, cooked in a broth made from premium bonito flakes and kelp to maximize umami.
Takashima
The Ichiban Dashi Onigiri really left an impression on me.
Ikeda
We extract the broth three times a day, each time taking an hour. It would be more efficient to make it all at once, but to preserve every bit of flavor, we’ve kept this method.
Takashima
I was also delighted by the response to the Korean Fair items, like the kimbap and bibimbap onigiri. Orders for extra batches came in right after launch, and I thought, ‘Wow, they really sold.’
Ikeda
The Korean Fair was especially popular among younger customers. Since engaging the younger generation has been a challenge for us, it was encouraging to see such strong support. Moving forward, we’ll continue polishing our classics while also taking on new challenges, so customers can keep enjoying onigiri in fresh ways.
One example of such innovation is the Double Flavor Onigiri: Grilled Salmon and Salmon Roe, generously filled with toppings both on top and inside.
Onigiri That Become Part of Someone’s Memory
As Ikeda envisions the future of onigiri and Takashima safeguards its everyday quality, we asked both men what onigiri means to them.
Takashima
New products are developed by Ikeda and the Seven-Eleven Japan team, but I like to think I’m the one creating that very first bite. That makes me simply happy. At the same time, I also feel responsible for ensuring safety and peace of mind in every bite.
Ikeda
Onigiri is an important symbol of 7-Eleven, and I feel a strong sense of mission toward it. We always carry 20 to 30 different varieties, but if customers can’t find a flavor they want, they won’t pick one up. That’s why we must always make sure there’s an onigiri for everyone.
In order to do so, I will continue to rely on the expertise of rice masters.
Takashima
Of course! Just like my childhood favorite, the Tori Gomoku Onigiri, flavors you fall in love with as a kid stay with you into adulthood. I want to keep making onigiri that become those unforgettable tastes in someone’s life.
Packed with ingenuity, care, and passion. Continuing on, every onigiri will hold the promise of unchanging deliciousness.
This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.
