Furikake—while many know the name, there are just as many who’ve forgotten how delicious it really is.
As a topping for rice, furikake is practically the first thing that comes to mind. Its packaging varies, but a lot of people probably remember it as being sold in little sachets. Sprinkle it over a steaming bowl of rice, and it adds a layer of happiness with its texture and taste. Nowadays, there’s a huge variety of flavors available—enough to satisfy both gourmets and those who just want a comforting, familiar taste. It’s the perfect companion to rice—a true household flavor and best partner for those who count rice as their staple. Yes, born to meet rice and created to brighten it, that is the invention of furikake.
And surely, there can’t be many people who actually dislike furikake. Well, everyone has their own tastes, so let’s not use such strong wording. Compliance is important.
…
“And that’s the story. We may not be a company with a long history, but when it comes to passion for furikake, we proudly consider ourselves number one in Japan.”
“Aye.”
In the FoxPhone building’s conference room in Akihabara, a representative from Wado Foods was passionately presenting their case.
Wado Foods was a major food company whose products appeared even in big-name convenience stores like Aniki Mart. Under their president’s direction, they had put serious effort into the “rice accompaniment” category.
One such effort was their push in the furikake market, a fiercely competitive scene—and to get ahead of the pack, they’d reached out to Inari.
“So with that said… we’ve prepared a few concept proposals today!”
The slides began displaying the proposed products.
“Rediscovering the Heart of Tradition – Ancient Plum Flavor”
“Grow Big and Strong Like Inari-chan – 34 Vegetable Blend”
“Mermen? Not Scary at All – Bonito Flavor”
“Feel the Power of the Fox Deity – Inari Sushi Flavor”
Inari peered at the slides and let out a soft murmur, as if trying to choose her words carefully.
“Hmmm... ’Tis not as though I am particularly fond of inari sushi or aught... That aside, what manner of taste is that meant to be?”
“We plan to replicate the sweet and savory flavor of inari sushi in furikake form. Also, the name ‘Inari Sushi Flavor’ is just a placeholder—for the final product, we’re thinking something more adorable, like ‘Inari-chan Furikake’.”
“Ho ho... And what of the vegetable blend?”
“Well, that name’s still under review. We’ll look into something suitable.”
When Inari fixed the Wado Foods rep with a long stare, the man’s eyes quickly darted away. Still watching him intently, she tapped the desk with a single finger.
“Dost thou not, perhaps, come hither with the full intent of pushing this ‘Inari-chan Furikake’, and naught else?”
“W-Well now… of course not! Ha ha, not at all! We simply wanted to explore all possibilities and find the best path forward!”
“Is that so, is that so. In that case, let us proceed with any flavor but inari sushi, hmm?”
“W-Wait please! The whole team’s really fired up about Inari-chan Furikake!”
“If that be the case, thou shouldst have said so from the outset. Such roundabout speech is tiresome.”
“Ugh… Y-You’re absolutely right.”
Truthfully, Inari didn’t particularly care which one they picked. But pretending to offer a choice while already having a fixed outcome wasn’t something she liked. If that was the only real option, then just bring it upfront—perfectly reasonable from her point of view.
At that point, Akai gently interjected to calm her down.
“Miss Kogami, you might not like it, but this is a common strategy in business. You include your main idea among other options to make it look more appealing. Some companies even think bringing only one plan to the table shows a lack of effort.”
“Ohh, is that so. Then it would seem mine own words were somewhat unreasonable. My apologies.”
“N-Not at all! You’re absolutely right too!”
Even as he said that, the Wado Foods rep was secretly analyzing Inari. The truth was, for a famous Awakener, she was… actually extremely easy to deal with. With collaborations involving Awakeners, most either didn’t care about the product at all or nitpicked every last detail. It was a constant balancing act just to get them to agree. Unless the company was run by fellow Awakeners, these projects always involved a great deal of negotiation. And yet—despite the hassle—they always brought massive profits.
“Wait a minute… is this gonna go super smoothly? How far can we push our ideas…? Could we maybe get everything approved…?”
He’d been a bit panicked when she tried to reject the inari sushi flavor, but it didn’t seem like she was seriously against it. Probably. As long as they showed sincerity, things would work out. That made this a very easy job to handle.
And sure enough, even though Inari looked a little skeptical at the name “Inari-chan Furikake,” Akai’s support helped things settle down, and preparations for the product’s release began moving along quickly.
The press release they issued—to deter rival companies—was picked up widely, and it was already showing signs of becoming a massive hit. That said, it would still take a little more time before the product hit store shelves.