Wakako Reno, owner of O!nigiri
Every day, Wakako Reno methodically prepares hundreds of onigiri — steamed rice filled with everything from spicy tuna to sukiyaki and walnut miso — shaping them into the traditional triangles or cutesy Shiba Inu, the latter inspired by her dogs. With the help of her husband and daughter, she operates O!nigiri, a small, bubble-gum-pink grab-and-go shop specializing in the Japanese treat whose name translates to “grasp” or “squeeze.” After previously operating in Carytown, then closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the business has reopened in a new location at 7801 W. Broad St.
RM: What is your background and when did you come to Richmond?
Wakako Reno: I was born and raised in Japan, and then I got married and came to the United States. We’ve been in Richmond about 10 years. Growing up, my parents had izakaya [Japanese pubs that serve small plates], so I started helping them when I was, like, 10. I used to help them wash dishes and then do little things like cutting fish. I worked there until I graduated from high school.
RM: Did you think you would ever own an onigiri shop?
Reno: No, because my parents struggled so much. I never thought I was going to open the store; I always wanted to just be a mom. But I guess it’s my calling. Onigiri, to me, is so Japanese, very traditional, very simple Japanese, the foundation for everything.
Ever since I was little, I used to make onigiri. In Japan, it’s like a sandwich here; your mom made it, your grandma made it. Onigiri is like family: It’s a pack of love in it, there’s so much memory there. It’s in my DNA, so I know exactly what I need to do; it’s so natural to me.
There are not many Japanese restaurants or Japanese owners here [in Richmond]. Customers are happy when they hear we are Japanese. I just love it, because I get to introduce this to American culture; I’m so happy that people enjoy it. I thought everybody forgot about us [after we closed], but they were actually looking forward to having us open again.
Shiba Inu special onigiri
RM: Your original shop closed in March 2020; what made you want to reopen?
Reno: I always knew that one day, I’d come back to it. My daughter, the youngest one, is in high school, and she wanted to get a job. I thought, ‘Maybe it’s time.’ We came to Lotte [Plaza Market, located next to the new shop] one day to go shopping, and then we saw this sign [that the space was for lease]. My husband said, ‘This is it.’ Since closing [our shop] in 2020, onigiri has become more popular; I started seeing so many people eating onigiri and going to Japan. My kids are also helping me; without them, I couldn’t do it. My daughter did all the logos and art and design. I wanted to make it so when customers walk in, they feel like they’re in Japan.
RM: What kind of onigiri do you offer?
Reno: We have spicy tuna, tuna and salmon — I love just a simple salmon with sea salt. We also have teriyaki Spam; karaage [fried chicken]; and sukiyaki, which is thin, sliced beef with onion and soy sauce. There is Japanese sausage; mentaiko, which is fish roe. The avocado is not traditional, but I wanted to offer something vegan. People pass by the shio kombu, but it’s my husband’s favorite. It’s salted kelp with soy sauce and sesame, really flavorful. Also umeboshi, which is pickled plum; it’s so sour that rice goes really well with it. And we have furikake [a Japanese seasoning mixture], shiitake [mushroom] and walnut miso. For a special, we do Shiba Inu onigiri — we have three Shibu Inu.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
