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Let’s enjoy amazing onigiri (rice balls) in Nagasaki! 5 popular spots to stop by during sightseeing

Photograph:マッシュグルメ

Let’s enjoy amazing onigiri (rice balls) in Nagasaki! 5 popular spots to stop by during sightseeing

Known as a port town, Nagasaki is an area where a diverse food culture has taken root alongside streets full of international charm. Easy to enjoy, onigiri (rice balls) are loved as something that lets you feel the quality of the ingredients and the care of the people who make them, and Nagasaki also has its own custom of eating onigiri after a night of drinking. This article rounds up popular onigiri shops to visit in Nagasaki.

Created: July 21, 2026

This article is based on858Tabelog reviews.

Table of Contents

Daruma

Photograph:あふじい

Daruma, about a 3-minute walk from Shianbashi Station, is a specialty onigiriya (rice ball shop) in Shianbashi, Nagasaki’s bar district.

The restaurant has both counter and table seating. Look for the red lantern with “Onigiriya Daruma” written on it.

Photograph:おひとりさま358

The shop offers a lineup of 17 types of onigiri (rice balls), unchanged since it first opened.

They use crisp nori (seaweed) from the Ariake region and finish each one by hand as Homemade. The photo shows, from left, “shio saba (salted mackerel),” “midori-zuke (pickled greens),” and “shiso no mi (perilla seeds).”

Photograph:食結びの参拝人

They also serve oden, which they want you to enjoy together with their onigiri (rice balls).

Along with standard items like daikon radish, egg, and konnyaku (yam cake), they also offer nerimono (processed fish cakes), a Nagasaki specialty. Both the onigiri and oden are available for Takeout.

u.yuki.u

These onigiri (rice balls) have lightly shaped rice, and fillings like kombu kelp, takana (pickled mustard greens), and mentaiko (spicy cod roe) each stand out clearly. The nori has a rich aroma, and the more you bite, the more savory flavor spreads. The taste is simple but carefully made, and though they are small, they are satisfying.

Source:u.yuki.u's review

エリンギ畑

Wanting to compare Nagasaki’s unique custom of ending a meal with onigiri (rice balls), I chose this restaurant. In the end, the onigiri here were the best. The taste is simple, but it had that classic onigiri feel, which was great. The Salted mackerel was delicious. I want to go again.

Source:エリンギ畑's review

Daruma
Kanko Dori Sta. / Onigiri (Rice ball)

3.51

Very good

59

  • - JPY 999
  • -
  • Sunday
長崎県長崎市船大工町5-34野村館ビル1F

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Kaniya Honten

Photograph:ベビーグルート

About a 2-minute walk from the Kankodori tram stop on the Nagasaki Dentetsu line, Kaniya Honten is a specialty restaurant serving onigiri (rice balls) and ochazuke (rice with tea or broth), founded in 1965.

Inside, there are counter seats and zashiki (tatami seating), giving the place a casual atmosphere that makes it easy to stop by.

Photograph:まこりん0510

The onigiri (rice balls) are made with carefully selected ingredients such as rice, nori (seaweed), and salt, and skilled chefs make each one by hand with care.

For the rice, they use Special cultivated "Shimanto Nikomaru" that has received a Toku-A rating, as well as Koshihikari rice from Niigata Prefecture. They pair it with nori from the Ariake region, which brings out the natural flavors of the ingredients even more.

Photograph:ゆうのん09131211

The "shio saba onigiri (salted mackerel rice ball)" here is the most popular onigiri at the shop.

One bite is said to fill your mouth with the rich flavor of flaky shio saba. It has just the right amount of salt, and is packed with plenty of shio saba inside.

こんころん

There were so many kinds of onigiri (rice balls) that it was hard to choose, but I ordered the popular shio saba (salted mackerel) and tori miso (chicken miso), along with miso soup. The onigiri were on the smaller side, and they were just the right size to easily eat two even at the end of a meal! Both the shio saba and tori miso were delicious!

Source:こんころん's review

oyakodondayo

They have a wide variety of onigiri (rice balls), and they are so good that I’ve stopped by several times！！！The ones with jaco (small dried fish), Nozawana (pickled mustard greens), and nori tsukudani (seaweed simmered in soy sauce) are especially delicious！The side dishes other than onigiri, like oden (Japanese stew), are also incredibly good. The final aka-dashi (red miso soup) is excellent too！

Source:oyakodondayo's review

Kaniya Honten
Kanko Dori Sta. / Onigiri (Rice ball), Oden

3.67

Very good

614

  • - JPY 999
  • -
  • Sunday
長崎県長崎市銅座町10-2

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Shimabara Mazemeshi (mixed rice from Shimabara)

Photograph:macour

Shimabara Mazemeshi is a shop specializing in mixed rice onigiri and Kara-age, about a 1-minute walk from Shianbashi Station.

It is a Takeout specialty shop, open from 10:00 a.m. until late at night. It is convenient for eating on the go or a light meal, and also perfect To finish after drinks.

Photograph:ウドン・ドレイパー

"Shimabara mazegohan (mixed rice from Shimabara)" is a generously filled rice ball mixed with chicken, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, burdock root, and other ingredients.

The rice is from Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture. The savory flavor of the ingredients and its gentle sweetness come together well, making for a nicely balanced taste.

Photograph:satou1010

The “Futsu no Kara-age” is a juicy dish made with young chicken from Nagasaki Prefecture.

The savory aroma of garlic soy sauce whets your appetite, and it is said to pair perfectly with onigiri (rice balls). You can order the Kara-age from just 1 piece.

13561330597

The mixed rice I had came packed with ingredients, and it looked appetizing right away. The rice was well soaked with dashi (Japanese soup stock), and mixed with ingredients like chicken, mushrooms, and carrots, each bite spread nice umami flavor across the palate. The seasoning was gentle and not too strong, so I could enjoy it all the way to the last bite without getting tired of it.

Source:13561330597's review

石敢當

After drinking in Shianbashi, I always end up buying maze-meshi (mixed rice) onigiri (rice balls). This time, I bought a 4-piece pack. It has such a gentle, nostalgic taste, and it is a little different from takikomi gohan (seasoned rice cooked with ingredients)! It was very delicious! It was a great meal♪

Source:石敢當's review

Shimabara Mazemeshi
Shianbashi Sta. / Onigiri (Rice ball), Kara-age (Deep-fried chicken)

3.40

122

  • - JPY 999
  • - JPY 999
  • -
長崎県長崎市本石灰町1-24

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Onigiri Kobo Batten

Photograph:くいタン

Onigiri Kobo Batten, about a 1-minute walk from Goto-machi Station, is a spot where you can enjoy onigiri (rice balls), along with Goto udon (Goto-style hand-stretched udon noodles) and a la carte dishes.

The chic and calm interior has counter and table seating, so it is easy to stop by whether you are on your own or with a group.

Photograph:libra322

The onigiri (rice balls) at this restaurant use rice from Nagasaki Prefecture, nori (seaweed) from Ariake, and natural salt. They also use specialty ingredients from around Japan for the fillings, showing how much they care about their ingredients.

The onigiri in the photo, from left to right, are "Shio Nigiri," "Shiso kombu kelp," and "Inaka Ume."

Photograph:凛rinne

The most popular lunch option is the “Batten set meal.” It is a very filling set that comes with rice balls, Goto udon (small size), Kara-age, and a small side dish.

You can enjoy the smooth Goto udon noodles in a gentle dashi broth, and the Kara-age is freshly fried and crispy. It is said to be a satisfying meal.

milk tea761

I enjoyed my favorite side dishes along with rice balls made with tasty rice and Saga nori (seaweed from Saga). The Goto udon (hand-stretched udon from the Goto Islands) and Kara-age I had been wanting to try were also very good. The original batten-yaki was tasty too. I would definitely like to go again. I was also happy that I could take home some rice balls with Takeout.

Source:milk tea761's review

くいタン

As for the most important part, the taste, the onigiri (rice balls) with a wide choice of fillings are delicious! The softly shaped rice and just right amount of salt already make them satisfying on their own, but the nori (seaweed) and fillings are so good that you end up eating too many.

Source:くいタン's review

Onigiri Kobo Batten
Goto Machi Sta. / Onigiri (Rice ball), Udon (Wheat noodles)

3.14

19

  • JPY 4,000 - JPY 4,999
  • - JPY 999
  • Friday, Saturday, Sunday
長崎県長崎市元船町6-5江島ビル 1F

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Onigiri Chanoma Oohato Ten

Photograph:シャア@アズナブル

Onigiri Chanoma Oohato Ten, about a 1-minute walk from the Ohato streetcar stop, is a Takeout specialty shop for onigiri (rice balls).

It is in an open area near the port, and on nice days you can enjoy it while looking out at the sea.

Photograph:高速タッド

In addition to classic onigiri (rice balls) fillings like salmon and mentaiko (spicy cod roe), they always offer about 30 varieties, including popular unusual options like ika no shiokara (salted squid).

The onigiri on the left in the photo is topped with tororo kombu kelp. It is said to be a memorable item, with the soft spread of the kombu kelp's umami in your mouth and the sweetness of the rice.

Photograph:jeanfillioux

In addition to onigiri (rice balls), the shop also sells bento boxed meals. They offer a wide variety, including the "Hamburger Steak Bento" and "Omelet Bento."

The photo shows the "Daily Bento." You can choose your favorite kind of onigiri for the one inside when you buy it, and they will prepare it freshly made.

高速タッド

Among the several kinds I bought, the one that stood out most was the "tororo kombu kelp (shaved kombu kelp)." The umami of the kombu kelp that softly spread in my mouth layered with the sweetness of the rice, making it very rich in flavor.

Source:高速タッド's review

はくまいずき

An onigiri (rice ball) shop that makes them fresh right in front of you. I got 2 for Takeout, with shiokara (salted seafood) and aonori (green laver). The nori was good too, and the salt level of the onigiri was just right. The shiokara tasted great.

Source:はくまいずき's review

Onigiri Cha no Ma Oohato ten
Ohato Sta. / Onigiri (Rice ball), Bento (Lunch box)

3.09

44

  • -
  • - JPY 999
  • Tuesday
長崎県長崎市元船町11-10

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How We Chose the Restaurants Featured

The Tabelog Matome editorial team has created this roundup article about shops selected based on reviews and rankings related to "Nagasaki no Onigiri." In selecting the shops, they do not take into account any factors other than reviews and rankings, such as whether or not the shops use Tabelog's advertising services.

Please note that contents, prices, menus, and other details may have changed since this article was published. Be sure to confirm store details before visiting.