Musubi, or onigiri, is a traditional Japanese rice ball often filled with pickled or salted ingredients and wrapped in nori. Portable and convenient, musubi has long been one of Japan’s favorite comfort foods and a staple snack for centuries.
During and after World War II, the U.S. military introduced Spam to Hawai’i, where locals creatively adapted it into the musubi form. The result was Spam musubi! Its salty, savory flavor, paired with simple rice and crisp nori, made it an instant island favorite.
Today, Spam musubi can be found everywhere, from convenience stores and supermarkets to family kitchens and community gatherings. Making Spam musubi has also become a popular activity at Gakuen, bringing students, teachers, and families together. We had a Spam musubimaking day in October where we cooked 25 pounds of rice, and our keiki made an amazing 144 Spam musubi!
After our Spam musubi day in October, we continued with another tasty hands-on experience, a sushi-making activity! Our next taste of culture workshop was going to be mochi-making in December, but some students said, “Sensei, we want to make something soon!” So, we added another ono food-making day in November, this time featuring kappa-maki (cucumber rolls), shinko-maki (takuan rolls), and inarizushi (cone sushi)!
Mahalo to Murakami-sensei, Keiko-sensei, and Minaesensei for sharing their guidance, enthusiasm, and for teaching our keiki. Their lessons turn a simple cooking activity into something both educational and fun for everyone, reminding us that food carries stories across time and place, transforming humble ingredients into something meaningful and delicious.
