About Japan Rice 日本産米とは
Japan Rice is a variety of short grain Japonica rice that is grown in Japan. The rice eaten around the world can be broadly divided into Japonica rice and Indica rice. The type grown in Japan is mostly small, short, round-grain Japonica rice. It develops a pearly appearance, sticky texture, and sweet flavor when heated by cooking or steaming, and is delicious even when cooled.
日本産米とは、日本で作られた短粒種のジャポニカ米のこと。世界で食べられている米は「ジャポニカ米」「インディカ米」の２種類に大別されますが、日本で作られるのは、粒が小さめで短く、丸みを帯びたジャポニカ米がほとんど。炊いたり蒸したりして熱を加えると艶と粘り、甘みが出て、冷めてもおいしいのが特長です。
The Center of
Japanese Food
日本食の中心は米
Japan’s climate and topography are perfect for growing rice, and rice production has been thriving here since ancient times. Rice also lies at the heart of dining in Japan, and the basic composition of a Japanese meal is rice, soup, and three side dishes (called okazu), a nutritionally-balanced combination. If you then add meals of a single dish combining rice and toppings like tempura or pork cutlet on rice in a bowl or curry on rice and Western-style meals that match rice with hamburger steak or stew, you get Japan’s unique food culture. Japan Rice can be enjoyed with various side dishes this way because its taste and aroma highlight the flavors of the accompanying foods.
Sweet and chewy Japan Rice
日本産米は甘くて、もちもち
When you take a bite of Japan Rice, your mouth fills with a sweet and savory flavor, and the chewy texture has just the right amount of elasticity and stickiness. The rice is delicious as is, and it sticks together easily without pressing hard, so sushi and rice balls come apart naturally in your mouth. Another great feature is that it does not harden quickly when cooled, long retaining its sweet, sticky, delicious nature.
Unique Japan Rice
日本産米は個性派ぞろい
Rice is grown in all 47 prefectures of Japan, a country rich in water resources. The land stretches north to south, and so varieties have been developed to match the different topography and climate conditions in each area. Each variety is quite unique, with slightly different flavors and textures. Try finding your favorite and the best type for each dish.
Wellness Food 体にやさしい米
Rice is a nutritionally-balanced food that contains carbohydrates, water, protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins. It has a higher amino acid score than wheat (indicating protein nutrition), so it provides higher-quality protein. Granular rice naturally induces a large number of chews to make you feel full with just the right amount and keep you feeling full afterwards. Another difference from wheat is that it contains no gluten and can be eaten without worries by people with gluten allergies. This is why nowadays rice flour is being used in baked sweets, bread, noodles, and other foods, receiving attention for its great potential.