Uni Gunkan-maki

Gunkan maki uses a surrounding strip of nori to contain toppings such as uni, or sea urchin, and ikura, or salmon roe. The rice is formed into a small oval and wrapped with nori, leaving room for the topping above it. Kikkoman’s preparation secures the end of the nori with a grain of rice and makes a shallow indentation in the top of the rice.^[1][2]

Ginza Kyubey traces the creation of gunkan maki to its own kitchen in the early Showa period. Its account explains that the form was devised to serve sea urchin and salmon roe without them spilling. The raised nori rim holds ingredients that would be difficult to balance on an ordinary piece of nigiri sushi.^[3]