When you think of onigiri, you probably think of a plain old rice ball wrapped in nori, but there’s no reason this tasty snack has to be as dull as that. With the help of these handy tools, you can make your rice balls as pretty as they are tasty!
1. Transform your rice into adorable baby penguins!
Nori and white rice is the perfect combination for recreating one of nature’s dorkiest animals – the penguin! This onigiri shaping set includes everything you need to get these silly aquatic birds just right from the bell shaped shaper to the stencils for cutting out their little feet, faces and backs. So cute you might not be able to eat them.
Pick up a penguin shaping set here!
2. Put some much needed nyan into your lunchtime with this playful kitty onigiri set!
When it comes to creating cute character bento, cats are an essential skill! Master them for yourself with this handy onigiri tool set which includes a shaper for making cat shaped heads complete with perky ears as well as a nori cutter so you can make angry looking cats, happy looking cats, and just any other sort of cat you can think of.
Cute cat charaben creation is only a click away!
3. Not all onigiri have to be round – try this deco stick set.
Well, these fun stick shaped onigiri are still kind of round, but only in the best possible way! Enjoy your onigiri in a more straightforward way with one of these more unusual stick shaping sets. As well as the mould for making your rice stick, the set also includes two nori cutters for making panda, dog, tiger and any other face you can think of as well as hearts and stars for even more patterning fun!
4. Create an army of baby pandas!
There’s nothing cuter than a baby panda! You can introduce some to your lunch with this fun onigiri set which includes a shaper to help you get that pudgy panda shape just right as well as nori cutter so you can make sure your pandas are properly attired!
Pick up a pretty panda set right over here!
5. Lunchtime is perfect for hanging out with everyone’s relaxed little buddy, Rilakkuma!
If you want to relax at lunch time, Rilakkuma is the bear you need! Create San-X’s famously chilled out characters Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma with these branded character tools which include a rice shaper for the bear-shaped heads as well as a stamp for putting the Rilakkuma seal in ham and cheese, and a nori punch for getting the pair’s iconic faces just right.
Rilakkuma is waiting for you right over here!
6. Dress your lunch for Trick or Treat!
Why carve a pumpkin when you could make an onigiri instead? This fun Halloween set includes everything you need to add some creepy cute to your lunch from the rice mould you can use to make your pumpkin shaped rice balls to the nori cutters which make scary Jack O’Lantern faces as well as ghosts, skulls, and candy!
7. This bento may be haunted…
Prove you ain’t afraid of no ghosts by eating them for lunch! This adorable Halloween themed onigiri set is perfectly primed to add some creepy ghost action to your food with a ghost shaped rice shaper plus two nori cutters featuring three unique ghosty expressions as well as bats, hearts, stars and a bow tie so your ghosts can dress for dinner.
Make your bento deliciously haunted!
8. Sometimes simple is best.
Of course, sometimes you just want to eat traditional onigiri the way it was always intended. If the thought of trying to pattern your nigiri is already making you lose your appetite, pick up one of these nori cutter sets to make life easier on yourself. Fans, polka dots and cherry blossom can all be done in an instant, lending a timeless quality to your elegant onigiri.
9. Make a ton of cute lunchtime friends!
Add some easy fun to your bento with these adorable sushi themed picks! The set includes a rice shaper and spoon so you can make your rice balls just the right shape for these little guys to catch a ride. Best of all, you can use them again and again!
Meet your new lunchtime buddies over here!
10. Sweets are not just for dessert!
You can add a touch of sweetness to your plain old rice balls by wrapping them in one of these adorable wrappers! There are fruits and animals, roll up-style wrappers, antibacterial wrappers, convenience store-style sushi wrappers, regular sushi wrappers, and even cute characters too, each of which will keep your tasty rice balls fresh and separate from your other treats.
Feeling hungry yet? Why not have a go at making some adorable bento of your very own by picking up some of these awesome tools? Don’t forget to share the results!
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.