Rice Ball Day

It is considered as a rice ball celebration on 19th of April every year.

Rice balls come in such a great variety of flavors and textures that being a rice ball means you're the funniest thing in the basket! In case you don't know what rice balls are, they are exactly what they say on the tin, a rice ball. But that's just the beginning! If you are familiar with Rice Balls, Rice Ball Day is just an interesting opportunity to enjoy your favorite food. If not, then get ready for a lavish tasting session that will open up your world!

Interesting facts about Rice Ball Day

• Rice balls can be preserved very well if the ingredients are right and covered. As the result, they can have food storage for a long time.
• Rice balls are traditional Japanese food.
• Rice balls are made from rice soaked in vinegar so that the grains stick together. After preparing to eat, they are soaked in soy sauce to remove the consistency.
• Rice balls have appeared at Japan since the 11th century.
• The Japanese term for onigiri is rice balls.
• In the popular manga and anime series One Piece, Roronoa Zoro, the right-hand man of the protagonist Monkey D. The reason for his name is because the shape of his head and hairstyle looks like a rice ball.
• Fillings can be added to rice balls and they include salmon fritters, tuna salad, seafood salad, konbu, umeboshi, tempura and natto.

History of Rice Ball Day

Since the 11th century, rice ball played a central part of Japanese cuisine. It's called "onigiri" in Japanese which means "to hold on tight". Despite being one of the oldest foods of all time, rice balls are still extremely popular even today.

However, there was no official evidence about the origin of Rice Ball Day in spite of a lot of researches. We do not know for sure who founded this celebration and when it first took place. However, we can still guess why this holiday was established - perhaps a person or group of people thinking that there are different types of food holidays around the world. So why not have one for rice balls or onigiri? And with that, the holiday may have been established.

How to celebrate Rice Ball Day

• Make delicious rice balls

A good idea for your celebration is to gather some people together and make some rice balls. It is really easy to do so. Rice, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and a rice cooker are some necessary things you have to prepare. Cook the rice in the rice cooker then mix the other ingredients afterwards. Then, you should use gloves to mold the cooked rice into balls or balls. With that, your onigiri is done.

• Ordered some delicious rice balls

If you don't have time to make rice balls, you should order some at a good onigiri store. It is sure that there will be many restaurants having these rice balls on this holiday. Take the best chance to enjoy them with your loved.

• Organize a rice ball themed party

You can make your celebration even more social by hosting a rice ball themed party. You can invite friends and family to your location (most likely your home) and let them eat different types of rice balls that you have prepared.

• Celebrate on social media

You can also put your celebration of this day on social media. For example, you can use the hashtag #NationalRiceBallDay to let your friends and followers know that you are also joining in the celebration of this special day.