Mehari-sushi is a local dish of the Kumano region, which straddles Wakayama and Mie prefectures, and the Yoshino region centering on Yoshino County, Nara Prefecture. It is a lunch box rice ball wrapped in a leaf of pickled takana (a type of pickled mustard). The one from Shingu City is particularly famous and is designated as a Wakayama Prefecture Recommended Excellent Souvenir as a specialty of Wakayama Prefecture. Some say that the name “Mehari Sushi” comes from the expression of the eyes that naturally widen as one opens one’s mouth to eat, some say that it is so large and delicious that it makes one’s eyes widen, and others say that it comes from the fact that the rice ball is completely wrapped up to make it look as if it were a “Mebari” sushi.
Mehari-sushi of various personalities
Originating as a lunch box for mountain and farm work in the Nanki-Kumano region, mehari-sushi is also known as Japan’s oldest fast food, and is still made in homes today. The rice wrapped inside has a variety of personalities depending on each household or store. It looks simple, but it is very deep. Originally, the rice balls were made of barley rice, which was then softball-sized and wrapped in takana (a type of leaf mustard). In addition to the vinegared rice, the onigiri can also be flavored with shoyu or a little sprinkle of ajinomoto, and the ingredients used in the onigiri can be as diverse as chopped pickled takana stems, sesame seeds, baby sardines, dried bonito flakes, and other ingredients. It will be fun to find your own favorites.
xperience making traditional Mehari-sushi at a temple
The Mehari-sushi made at Daitaiji is simply a rice ball with chopped takana pickles inside, seasoned with a little bit of ajinomoto (seasoning) and local soy sauce. The reason for this is that we want newcomers to Mehari-sushi to enjoy the most basic version of Mehari-zushi. The rice balls are made into a slightly larger bale shape and placed in the center of the spread out takana pickles, then folded on both sides and spun around. You can eat it freshly made right then and there, or you can enjoy it a little later as a bento, when the flavors have blended well. It would be wonderful to walk along the Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage site, with Mehari-sushi.
