Japan has been known for some very innovative food packaging. What comes to my mind first is the cellophane wrappers for onigiri (rice ball snack) and sushi handrolls that you’d find in grocery stores and kobini marts (convenience stores). They keep the rice and fillings separate from the nori so that the seaweed stays dry and crisp, then you open and assemble.

I’ve wanted to document how to properly open and assemble these, but never found a good way to show the steps. Below are a couple videos I found that show how to do it pretty well.

The most recent thing in packaging that I just heard about is a new design in beer can that opens the entire top of the can and somehow they get the beer to foam a little just as though it was a freshly poured draft. Here’s an article about it. And down below is a video showing it (and some behind the scenes in making of a video for it). Pretty dang cool.

Ganbatte! ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ

-john.

links:

@Ashleysyoutube – Japanese convenience store sushi roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-liJIEbJoY

@NihongoDekita – How to open an onigiri properly 🍙🇯🇵: https://youtube.com/shorts/4SxXEXQkNnI

JapanInsider – Asahi’s New “Self-foaming Beer Can” is Flying Off Shelves in Japan: https://japaninsider.com/asahis-new-self-foaming-beer-is-flying-off-shelves-in-japan/

@PaolofromTOKYO – Asahi Beer Hired Me to Create a Video for Super Dry Nama Jokki Can: https://youtu.be/VNy10BvFc78

Patent drawing for onigiri wrapper