Japanese convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, is launching another special, region-exclusive product. This time, the spotlight is on Oita Prefecture in the Kyushu region with the “Tako-meshi Omusubi” (Octopus Rice Ball). It will be available for a limited time starting November 21, 2025, exclusively at 7-Eleven stores within Oita Prefecture.
This onigiri (rice ball) is no ordinary octopus rice. Its main feature is the luxurious use of ‘Kunisaki Hime-dako,’ a specialty octopus caught off the coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture. Furthermore, this product carries an important message: to protect local food culture and preserve the beautiful ocean for the future.
Product Details
The product is scheduled to be on sale from Friday, November 21, 2025, to Friday, December 5, 2025.
The price is 255 yen (275.40 yen including tax), and it can be purchased at all 7-Eleven stores in Oita Prefecture.
This initiative is a special project in collaboration with ‘Umi-Life,’ a general incorporated association aiming to promote local food culture and solve social issues, 7-Eleven, and ‘The Umi to Nippon Project – CHANGE FOR THE BLUE,’ a marine debris countermeasure project promoted by The Nippon Foundation.
The Story Behind It: An Effort to Protect Local Flavors and the Sea
Japan is home to many wonderful ingredients unique to specific regions, but it’s not uncommon for them to be little-known outside their local area due to distribution challenges and other issues. Oita’s ‘Kunisaki Hime-dako’ was one such example.
‘Kunisaki Hime-dako’ is raised in the fast currents of the Seto Inland Sea, which gives it a firm texture and a rich flavor that deepens the more you chew. Its legs are short and thick, and its texture sets it apart from imported octopus. However, until now, its sales channels have been limited, and its existence was not widely known even within its home prefecture of Oita.
Therefore, by commercializing it at convenience stores, which are familiar to young people, the aim is to introduce this delicious octopus to a wider audience and promote local production for local consumption. It can be called a groundbreaking attempt to increase interest in regional food culture through the accessible form of an onigiri.
A Message for the Ocean on the Packaging
The packaging of this onigiri holds another important message: raising awareness of the worsening problem of marine debris.
The logo for ‘The Umi to Nippon Project – CHANGE FOR THE BLUE’ is printed on the package. This represents the hope that each person who picks up the product will take a moment to think about the impact of marine pollution and its effects on ecosystems, caused by plastic waste and other debris.
This project aims to encourage every citizen to see the issue of marine debris as ‘their own problem’ and to work towards a society that no longer pollutes the ocean.
A Project for the Future
This collaboration is also part of ‘The Umi to Nippon Project,’ promoted by The Nippon Foundation. The project’s goal is to help people all over Japan understand the current situation, such as the deterioration of the marine environment, and to expand the circle of action to pass on a healthy ocean to the future.
This ‘Tako-meshi Omusubi’ is not just delicious; it also carries two major themes: regional revitalization and environmental protection. If you have the chance to visit Oita Prefecture, be sure to stop by a 7-Eleven and try this special item. It’s sure to be an unforgettable taste, filled with the bounty of the rich sea and the warm feelings of people thinking about the future.
The organizing body, ‘Umi-Life,’ a general incorporated association, conducts various awareness-raising activities to leave a beautiful ocean for the next generation.
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