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Shinagawa Station sells unappetizing fish butt onigiri, netizens nauseated

Evie Nyan Nov 16, 2014
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It’s hard not to love onigiri, those handy little triangular parcels of rice and seaweed stuffed with tasty fillings ranging from plum to fish to chicken and more. Onigiri are a ubiquitous snack in Japan, available at every convenience store in a range of varieties for the cost of a few coins. But even though conbini onigiri are usually fresh and tasty, it’s also nice to run across smaller stands and stores selling hand-made onigiri sometimes. Unless you happen to stop by this establishment inside Shinagawa Station in Tokyo – because their onigiri leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to presentation. That is unless you like eating something with a big fish butt hanging out of it…

The onigiri shown in the photograph actually contains an entire mezashi, which are dried sardines strung onto a skewer by their eye sockets and cooked together. They’re actually quite healthy, as sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids and essential calcium. If you can get past the slightly gross way they’re cooked, that is.

▼ How mezashi are usually served.

If you’re not used to the Japanese custom of serving up a whole fish, then the concept of gobbling one down wrapped only in a bit of rice and seaweed might be a bit much. However, it seems that even Japanese netizens were grossed out by the unappetizing presentation of this fishy onigiri:

品川駅でみつけた「めざしオニギリ」。なかなかに前衛的なデザインである。 pic.twitter.com/1e521P2iVx

— Satoshi Ban @ Thirdverse(VRゲームスタジオ) (@bangsang) November 14, 2014

▲ “Mezashi onigiri from Shinagawa station. It’s a bit too avant-garde.”

品川駅の「めざしオニギリ」が斬新すぎるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/byav0UQQ5x @hamusoku

もうちょっと工夫すれば良いような…あえてダイレクトに攻めた点わ評価出来るかもしれんが買わないだろうなｗ

— Ynes＝Hiie (@kent278562) November 14, 2014

▲ “They could have put a bit more effort into the presentation… Maybe they’re going for the ‘direct’ approach, but I still wouldn’t buy this.”

If you’re not sold on the cold fishy onigiri, apparently the store in question also sells some more appetizing wares:

ハムスター速報：品川駅の「めざしオニギリ」が斬新すぎるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/h9nTtkdL2K @hamusokuさんから

ここの天むすの誘惑がすさまじい。5個ぐらい買ってむさぼりたい。

— SUGIMOTO Yoshiaki (@catzpaw) November 14, 2014

▲　”I can’t resist the allure of the tempura musubi they sell there. I wanna buy five and stuff my face with ’em.”

Other netizens pointed out the similarity to Korean dish Sukekiyo-don, which comprises several sardines face-down in a bowl of rice.

▼　Hmm, staring into a bowl of fish butts really works up an appetite…NOT

Whatever your thoughts on whole fish, it’s hard to deny that eating them butt-first is anything other than a little gross. Then again, would it really be any better if it was the head poking out to say hello? Somehow, we doubt it.

Source: Hamusoku
Images: Hamusoku, Wikimedia Commons (Kossy@FINEDAYS), Biglobe.ne.jp