A Japanese firm that researches the restaurant industry has selected "onigiri," or rice balls, as the "dish of the year."

The company notes that the normally simple items have been evolving into elaborate and colorful creations, featuring shrimp and other high-end toppings.

Onigiri are plain rice wrapped with dried sheets of seaweed and contain fish or another item.

The company says the number of restaurants in Japan specializing in the new gourmet-style items is growing rapidly in large cities. It notes that sales are on the rise and the items are even appearing in countries outside Japan.

The company announced the annual award on Monday. It is given to foods that symbolize social trends of the past year. The selection is based on search numbers for gourmet websites and consumer surveys.

Other candidates include farm-raised fish, high-end dishes that use domestic rice powder instead of imported flour, and scallops.