noun
rice ball wrapped in pickled leaf mustard greens
A regional specialty from Wakayama and Nara prefectures. The name comes from the phrase 目を見張る (to open one's eyes wide), because the rice ball is large enough to make you open your eyes wide when you eat it.
和歌山の名物、めはり寿司を食べてみたい。
I want to try mehari-zushi, a specialty of Wakayama.
めはり寿司は高菜の葉でご飯を包んだものです。
Mehari-zushi is rice wrapped in pickled mustard green leaves.
The name めはり寿司 is said to come from the phrase 目を見張る (to open one's eyes wide), referring to the large size of the rice ball that makes you open your eyes wide when eating it. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is a well-known regional dish from the Kumano region.