Collection: Japanese rice

Japanese rice is mainly grown in Japan’s rural regions, where the climate and soil are particularly well suited to its cultivation. The Japanese archipelago, with its many mountains and valleys, offers ideal conditions for rice farming.

Although relatively small in terms of land area, Japan has several important rice-producing regions.

Niigata (on the west coast of the main island of Honshu) is particularly famous for its Koshihikari rice, renowned for its superior quality. The region benefits from a favorable climate, with hot summers and snowy winters, which contributes to the quality of the soil and water, ideal for rice farming.

Akita (in the Tohoku region, in northern Honshu) is known for producing high-quality rice varieties such as Akitakomachi. The region’s cool climate and abundant water resources are perfect for growing rice.

Water plays a crucial role in Japanese rice cultivation. Rice fields, called "tanbo" (田んぼ), are flooded for much of the year, allowing rice plants to grow in an aquatic environment. The water used must be clean and abundant, as it directly affects the quality of the rice. In addition, when preparing rice, water is an essential ingredient for rinsing and cooking, influencing its final texture and taste.

Japanese rice grains are generally short and round, unlike some long, slender rice varieties. They are known for their high starch content, which gives them a sticky texture when cooked. This characteristic is ideal for preparing many Japanese dishes such as sushi or onigiri, as it allows the grains to hold together and be easily handled with chopsticks.

Japanese rice is often prepared simply, with few added ingredients, to highlight its natural flavor. However, it can also be seasoned with rice vinegar to make sushi, or cooked with vegetables, meat, and seafood in dishes such as donburi (topped rice bowls) or takikomi gohan (rice cooked with various ingredients). Other ingredients such as miso, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi can also be used to flavor and enhance the rice.

In Japanese cuisine, rice is ubiquitous and serves as the basis for many meals. It is often served plain, under the name "gohan" (ご飯), and accompanies almost every main dish. Rice is also the foundation of iconic dishes such as onigiri (rice balls), sushi, and mochi (sticky rice cakes). Cooking rice is an art in itself, often requiring specific techniques and great care to achieve the perfect texture.

All the rice offered by iRASSHAi is of Japanese origin

Making sushi rice, or “shari” (酢飯), is a crucial step to achieving high-quality sushi.

Here are our tips for doing so:

Ingredients

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice (sushi rice)
• 2 cups water (for cooking the rice)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place the 2 cups of rice in a bowl.
2. Add cold water and stir the rice with your hand. Drain and repeat this process 3 to 4 times until the water is almost clear. This rinsing removes excess starch, which prevents the rice from becoming too sticky.
3. After the final rinse, let the rice soak for about 30 minutes. This allows the rice to absorb the water, helping it cook evenly.
4. After soaking, drain thoroughly.
5. Place the rice in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
6. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for an additional 10 minutes to finish steaming.
7. Heat the vinegar: While the rice is resting, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat and stir until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil.
8. Once dissolved, let the mixture cool to room temperature.
9. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large non-metallic bowl, preferably wooden (called “hangiri”) or plastic.
10. Drizzle the mixture evenly over the hot rice.
11. Use a wooden spatula or flat spoon to mix, taking care not to crush the grains.
12. Once the sushi rice has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to be used to prepare sushi, maki, onigiri, or other Japanese rice dishes.