Rice Ball Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Rice Ball Day is an annual food holiday celebrated on April 19. This day celebrates the rice ball, one of the most well-known and delicious Japanese dishes of all time. The term “rice ball” refers to a sphere-shaped cluster of cooked rice. However, it is available in various forms, including the triangular one. It also varies in texture and flavour based on the variety of rice employed and the ingredients added.

If you already enjoy rice balls, Rice Ball Day is simply another excuse to indulge in your undoubtedly favourite cuisine. Prepare yourself for a culinary feast that will shatter your mind if you are not!

The background of Rice Ball Day

There is no documentation regarding the history or origin of Rice Ball Day. Nonetheless, rice cakes can be traced back to the eleventh century. Since ancient times, the rice ball has been regarded as an indispensable element of Japanese cuisine, especially for lunches and excursions. Locals refer to it as onigiri, which translates to “to cling to.” Rice balls can be any form of rice-based dish. The material is then formed into a spherical shape by moulding, compressing, or otherwise combining it. Rice balls are particularly prevalent in Asia and other cultures that consume rice.

Not the least of its extraordinary properties was its ability to form an airtight seal and thus secure and preserve meat contained within.

Not in the mood for chilly rice balls for dinner? Not an issue! The rice is dipped in vinegar to help it adhere and form the previously mentioned airtight seal, but the addition of soy sauce destroys these bindings and creates a loose rice dish when combined with the filling. Place it back in the skillet and reheat it! Traditionally, rice balls with no seasonings or additives were the norm in Japan, but nowadays the Japanese enjoy a variety of rice ball flavours and styles. Instead of positioning seasonings and condiments within plain rice, they prefer to combine them with it.

Prior to the 1980s, all onigiri were handcrafted, making them a rare and expensive delicacy available only in Japanese restaurants. All of that changed in the 1980s with the introduction of a machine that produced triangular onigiri, and the method has been continuously improved since then, making onigiri available in mass quantities!

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RICE BALL DAY ACTIVITIES

Create one’s own rice cakes.

Making some delicious rice cakes is a wonderful way to celebrate this occasion. It’s quite straightforward!

Host a soiree with a rice ball theme.

You can make your party even more social by incorporating rice balls into the menu. You can invite your friends and family to your venue to sample the various varieties of rice dumplings you’ve prepared.

Share it on social networking sites.

You can also disseminate information about this day via social media. Use the hashtag #NationalRiceBallDay to let people know you’re participating in the celebration of this special day.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT RICE BALL

Salmon flakes, tuna salad, seafood salad, konbu, umeboshi, tempura, and natto can be used to stuff rice balls.

Onigiri is the Japanese term for rice balls.

The most common shape is a triangle, but there are now numerous alternatives, including heart and rectangular shapes.

Typically, the dried seaweed is wrapped around the bottom of the onigiri to make it easier to hold, but some people cover the entire onigiri in dried seaweed.

It can be prepared with fried rice, white rice with seasonings, sprouting brown rice, or “takikomi gohan” white rice cooked with various ingredients such as chicken, peas, mushrooms, etc.

RICE BALL DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	April 19	Wednesday
2024	April 19	Friday
2025	April 19	Saturday
2026	April 19	Sunday
2027	April 19	Monday