As millions of visitors to Japan already know, Kyoto is a city not to be missed, offering countless opportunities to experience historic temples, shrines, art, and time-honored culture. In addition to the incredible traditions that still thrive in Kyoto, a contemporary food and art scene is also being actively created each day. If you’re a repeat visitor to Kyoto or simply looking to support small businesses that are open to sharing their (often vegan and vegetarian-friendly) food with locals — and visitors — this multi-part series is for you.
For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring Kyoto restaurants that offer more than just fantastic food, but also support and contribute to the local arts community. The chefs at these restaurants either practice art themselves, co-run a gallery, or support local artists by hosting art and music events in their space.
We look forward to sharing more with you about these special, slightly off-the-beaten-path spots in Kyoto, offering some of the best food and creative energy the city has to offer. So let’s jump into the first part of this series, where we sat down with Toshiiro Aomatsu, owner and creator of Ao Onigiri!
Fluffy rice ready for making onigiri – Image courtesy Ao Onigiri
To start, could you briefly introduce yourself and share what led you to open Ao Onigiri?
Ao Onigiri is a small shop that opened in 2011 in a quiet residential area of Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward. Since opening, we have operated by changing our style, including street sales by bicycle, counter service for freshly made onigiri lunches, and takeout sales with message-wrapped packaging.
Onigiri is a traditional Japanese home-cooked dish and a very casual food. It can be called soul food. That’s why I believe that onigiri has the power to energize people and heal their hearts, which is why I started this onigiri shop.
When I first had your onigiri in March 2025, I was excited that your menu included brown rice options and some onigiri that were entirely vegan. Do you have a particular interest in healthy food?
We have healthy options, but we also have heavier ones. We have customers of all ages and with various needs, so I think it’s important to have a lineup that caters to both. Whether you’re wealthy or working-class, health-conscious or not, onigiri is “people’s food.”
Traditional Japanese rice cooker – Image courtesy Ao Onigiri
Ao Onigiri are full of flavor and wonderful ingredients (sansho pepper, bonito flakes, mountain vegetables). Can you share more about your approach to the menu, which feels very contemporary, and these kinds of offerings within the larger, historical context of onigiri in Japan?
As mentioned earlier, my menu ranges from traditional to modern and unique. I just try to keep a balance.
What is your favorite onigiri flavor?
I personally like simple flavors like umeboshi (pickled plum) and okaka (dried bonito flakes). Sometimes, though, cream cheese and mayonnaise are also delicious.
The neighborhood where your shop is located in Northern Higashiyama is popular, but also has some distance from major tourist areas. It feels like a vibrant, creative area but also very respectful of Kyoto’s history and geography. How do you feel Ao Onigiri’s offerings are connected to or influenced by being located in this part of Kyoto? Do you find it is a good place to experiment? Does it seem most of your customers are local, students or visitors?
Selling onigiri together as a family – Image courtesy Ao Onigiri
The Sakyo Ward area is known for its cultural sensitivity, with Kyoto University and the Kyoto University of the Arts nearby. When I chose this area, it was because it was quiet and the rent was affordable. I actually wanted a riverside location along the Kamogawa River, but couldn’t find one. However, there’s a small river in front of my store, so even though it’s not the Kamogawa, I like that it’s along a river.
Recently, various creative shops have opened around my store, giving the area a more unique atmosphere than before. About half of my customers are locals, and the other half are tourists, but I think most of them are people with a keen sense of aesthetics.
Perfectly wrapped onigiri – image courtesy Ao Onigiri
The atmosphere inside Ao Onigiri is special. It’s a very small shop, mostly a storefront, but there are many wonderful works of art (made by you!) on display inside and outside, as well as beautifully organized onigiri when you first enter. The space feels a little like a small temple or shrine, and also a little like a gallery, in addition to being a restaurant. How do you feel the interior of the space reflects or supports the food served, or is it more about an expression of your creativity, or creating an experience for visitors?
I’m just doing what I love. I want customers to feel my personality, humanity, and expression through the visual aspects as well. While the taste of the onigiri is important, I also think it’s important to convey the thoughts, passion, and philosophy behind who made them and why.
You also hand-stamp the wrapping of each onigiri with designs you have created. Many of the wrapping designs have fun, creative, and sometimes deeply philosophical graphics or messages on them, such as “timing is everything.” How many different stamps have you made? How important are these wrappers to your work? Do you have a favorite? And how have customers reacted to these wrappers? I loved them, and saved several and glued them into the notebook that I was keeping while in Japan.
The original stamps are a signature of my shop. I started making them because I thought that if there were thoughtful words suited to the situation of the person eating the onigiri, it would make them even more enjoyable.
I’ve created countless stamps with messages and event logos. I feel that everyone enjoys the wrappers, which makes me happy. Creating the stamps and pressing them onto each piece of wrapping paper is a lot of work, but it’s all part of my passion for onigiri.
How to roll your onigiri – image courtesy Ao Onigiri
Some of the art you offer inside the space is tenugui, matchboxes with images from paintings, as well as a book, all related to onigiri in some way. Can you share more about your creative practice and the art you share at the shop?
Yes, everything is connected to onigiri or my philosophy. I also make sure to include jokes in some of them.
I’m not just making things to sell; I’m conscious of creating something meaningful. In an era where things are abundant, I don’t think people necessarily need to buy things, but I hope there’s something that touches their hearts.
I know you sometimes do pop-up events, or in-house seating, and serve onigiri with miso soup. Do you have special plans for the coming months, any events, collaborations, or updates you’d like to share with our readers?
At the Kyoto store, we stopped regular in-store dining three years ago and now primarily operate as a takeout business. It’s challenging to accommodate many customers in a small space, so unfortunately, we had to change our style. We plan to occasionally offer in-store dining by reservation during the off-season, but it will be limited to a small number of people.
We held our first overseas pop-up event in Taipei, Taiwan, at the end of May. Since 2020, we have been holding promotional events for our book “Let’s Onigiri” across Japan. We have visited 28 prefectures so far. We would like to continue holding events both domestically and internationally to spread the idea of “Let’s Onigiri.”
Our goal is to reach the universe!
Sharing the beauty of onigiri around the world – image courtesy Ao Onigiri
Thank you again for your time and wonderful food! We can’t express how much it means to us to be able to share your amazing shop and story with our readers!
Google Map link: https://share.google/OIpCxMOilGhHudoAp
39 Jodoji Shimominamidacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8404, Japan
Follow Ao Onigiri on:
Website: https://aoonigiri.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aoonigiri/
Featured Photo Credit: Ao Onigiri
Try our fantastic food tours and explore more of Kyoto’s amazing culinary culture.
PIN THIS FOR LATER
