Onigiri, she says, has mass appeal because it’s simple to make, is gluten-free and is versatile. And other Japanese foods like ramen and sushi have found worldwide popularity, she notes.

This ramen used a whole block of gouda cheese! Located in Ebisu, this ramen restaurant serves up some twists on the classic ramen, including tomato ramen! This time, we tried their cheese ramen, ...

The word ''onigiri'' became part of the Oxford English Dictionary this year, proof that the humble sticky-rice ball and mainstay of Japanese food has entered the global lexicon.