Safe and secure “Nikomaru” brand rice
Rice from Kochi may not be a familiar name to many people. However, “Nikomaru,” produced in Niida Town, is a brand-name rice that has won awards in numerous contests, including the Rice and Taste Analysis Contest and the Monde Selection.
NIKOMARU is a heat-tolerant variety that originally originated in Nagasaki. In Niida Town, 63 rice farmers cultivate this rice using only organic fertilizers. The rice is also milled and shipped with the utmost care. It may not be familiar in the Kanto region, but it is quite popular in western Japan and is sold at high prices in local stores.
The town of Niida has been known as a rice-producing area since the days of the Tosa Clan. The reason why the rice tastes so good is said to be the large temperature difference between daytime and nighttime of more than 10 degrees Celsius during the summer and pre-harvest period due to its high altitude, and the clear water of the Shimanto River. Miyauchi Shoten’s contract farmers also insist on “safe and secure rice production. Seedlings are grown before rice planting, and it is important to disinfect the seeds at this time. If this is not done, the seeds can easily become sick and cause serious damage. However, the farmers contracted by Miyauchi Shoten do not use pesticides for disinfection, but instead use an environmentally friendly method of rice cultivation called “hot water disinfection of seed rice” in which the rice is soaked in hot water at 60°C for 10 minutes. In addition, the farmers have repeatedly devised and researched various other methods, and their rice has won awards for 15 consecutive years in the “Rice and Food Taste Analysis Contest,” in which rice production areas nationwide compete for the best taste of their rice.
Sweets made with rice
The freshly cooked rice was indeed glutinous and tasty. The rice is indeed glutinous and tasty, and when served with bonito tataki, a specialty of the highlands, one’s chopsticks are sure to go straight to one’s mouth. You also make sweets, don’t you?
Hidetoshi Nakata, who loves rice but also has an eye for sweets, was attracted by the Niida rice sponge cake. Miyauchi Shoten sells sponge cakes, baumkuchen, roll cakes, and other products made from Niida rice flour. The moist and glutinous texture makes them popular as souvenirs. We have been making rice-flour pastries since 2006, and thanks to the recent increase in the number of gluten-free customers, they are becoming increasingly popular,” he says.
There is no reason why sweets made from rice that are made with the finest ingredients can’t be delicious. The reason for the name “Nikkomaru” is that it is delicious and makes people smile. The “Nikomaru” grown in Niida Town is bringing smiles to many faces in various ways.
