The Amataki-Ondan Terraced Rice Fields in the Ondan district of Kawauchi, Toon City, Ehime Prefecture, designated as a “Connecting Terraced Rice Field Heritage.”The “Hotaru Mai” rice grown here has received high acclaim, including consecutive Gold Awards in the 22nd (2020) and 23rd (2021) editions of the “International Rice Taste Analysis and Appraisal Competition – International Comprehensive Division.”

Farming to preserve the terraced field landscape

My family home is a farm in Toon City that cultivates rice and shikimi (an evergreen tree used in Buddhist ceremonies). In my youth, I strongly yearned for the city and had no intention of taking over the family business. After graduating from university, I ended up working for the local Toon City government. While working in the Agriculture and Forestry Promotion Division, I became deeply involved in community activities, including the maintenance of terraced rice fields. There, I faced the reality of agriculture declining year by year and the loss of the landscape of the past.Onda is a small village of about 40 households. Its farmland totals just over 10 hectares. After the war, the entire Kawauchi area had about 80 hectares, but currently only about 50 hectares are cultivated. Driven by the desire to “preserve the terraced rice field landscape,” he took early retirement at age 58 and began seriously pursuing rice farming.

Shortly after starting rice cultivation, he had agricultural cooperative staff measure the taste score of his rice. Unexpectedly, it scored a high 88 points. This high score from his first harvest gave him great confidence that the terraced fields of Amataki and Onda were indeed a place capable of producing delicious rice.

Clear Streams and Terraced Fields Nurtured by Forests and Valleys

The Onda terraces possessed all the conditions necessary for growing delicious rice. Located at an elevation of 250 meters, they experience significant temperature differences between day and night and enjoy excellent sunlight. Furthermore, the soil has good water retention properties, making it well-suited for rice cultivation. Above all, the area boasts exceptional water quality.

Right beside the farm lies a small waterfall called Amataki, once a sacred site for rain-praying rituals. Other abundant water features dot the landscape, such as Shirai Falls, Karakai Falls, and Kubo no Fuchi. Nestled in mountains surrounded by broadleaf forests, these sources provide the paddies with pure mountain water rich in nutrients and minerals.A testament to the purity of these streams is Amataki Hotaru no Sato (Firefly Village), located near the terraced rice fields. On summer nights, countless fireflies dance here, offering a profound sense of nature’s abundance.　

The Birth of Hotaru Mai Rice

Despite benefiting from a rich natural environment, rice cultivation in terraced fields is not highly efficient due to burdens like grass cutting and damage from harmful birds and animals. To continue, it was necessary to enhance the rice’s value and establish it as a brand. Named “Hotaru Mai” (Firefly Rice), meaning “rice shaped by the landscape,” it was first entered in 2013 into Japan’s largest international rice competition, the “Rice Taste Analysis and Appraisal Contest.”This competition evaluates rice’s deliciousness from two perspectives: numerical analysis of moisture, protein, amylose, etc., using specialized machinery; and sensory evaluation of taste perceptions like umami, sweetness, and richness when eaten. “It was sweet. At first, it was nothing,” he recalls of that time. Afterwards, he traveled to the competition’s venue, visited farmers nationwide, and learned techniques through dialogue with many producers.

Transitioning to reduced-pesticide and organic cultivation, leading to a gold medal

“Hoda Ryu Rice” began with conventional farming using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Through repeated exchanges with farmers nationwide, interest in reduced-pesticide and organic farming gradually grew.Through extensive analysis—including cultivation methods that suppress nitrogen in fertilizers and soil preparation using organic mineral fertilizers—he aimed for delicious rice with low protein content and excellent stickiness. Rice with less protein allows starch to blend well with water, resulting in fluffy, soft grains with a pleasant texture. “I was good at collecting and analyzing data. I absorbed the subtle differences unique to each farmer and refined them in my own way.”

After several years of organic farming, in 2020 and 2021, the “Niko Maru” variety from Sakamoto Natural Farm’s “Hotaru” rice won the Gold Prize in the International Comprehensive Division at the “Rice Taste Analysis and Appraisal Contest.” Following the taste value assessment at the contest, a taste index evaluation measuring the “sticky layer” is conducted.The sticky layer refers to the viscous layer formed on the surface of rice grains when starch dissolves during cooking. Rice with a robust sticky layer exhibits greater luster, stickiness, mouthfeel, and perceived sweetness. “The taste value increased after switching to organic farming and eliminating chemical fertilizers. It didn’t suddenly blossom after going organic; it was gradual. We’ve gotten closer to the flavor we pursued.”

“Hoda Ryu Rice” is rice meticulously crafted for taste, safety, and quality. Quality control extends all the way to the consumer.The rice is milled in a climate-controlled milling room using cold milling and stored year-round in refrigerated warehouses maintained below 14°C (57°F). This prevents condensation from forming during winter due to temperature differences between the interior and outside air. Furthermore, even the rice bran used as fertilizer, which is prone to insect infestation under normal conditions, is carefully stored under temperature control.

JINEN (Nature): Where Nature and People Coexist

Currently, “Hoda Ryu Rice” cultivates four varieties across six brands, divided into two types: “Rice with 80% Reduced Pesticides (compared to Eco Ehime standards)” and “Pesticide-Free Rice · JINEN (Nature)”. Both are grown without chemical fertilizers, using only organic fertilizers that return to the fields, such as straw, rice bran, and rice husk charcoal.

The unique brand “JINEN (Nature)” embodies the desire to cultivate rice alongside all life forms inhabiting this land, including microorganisms and flowers blooming along the field borders. “Rice should grow naturally. Instead of forcibly adding unnecessary fertilizers, we gently supplement only what is lacking. That is our authentic approach to rice farming. We want to produce rice worthy of this landscape,” they explain.

One variety within JINEN, “Ondasennen Rice,” is cultivated using natural farming methods. It employs “single-seedling cultivation,” relying solely on self-harvested seeds and completely avoiding fertilizers and chemicals. Every step is done by hand, truly nurtured by the power of people and nature alone.Due to its mountainous cultivation, the yield is extremely low, about 4 to 5 bales per tan (approx. 1000m²). While modern farming typically yields 8 to 10 bales per tan on flat land, this significantly lower harvest forms the foundation of Sakamoto’s rice-growing cycle.

Rice Farming in Terraced Fields: Restoring Pride to Rural Communities and Connecting to the Future

The reality is that almost no new farmers are starting rice cultivation. Utilizing old, narrowly structured terraced fields as farmland presents many challenges, including the maintenance of irrigation channels. What began as rice farming driven by the desire to “protect this landscape” has now expanded beyond a personal challenge into a hope for the entire region.

Sakamoto Natural Farm Hoda Ryu established the “Hotaru Club,” a rice ownership program, creating a system where people can engage with rice farming from the very beginning. Participation is possible even with small tasks like weeding, allowing people to be involved in rice farming as a side job without needing initial investment or farmland. Participants, especially parents with children, are particularly conscious of creating “a future where children can safely eat rice without worry.”Learning, growing, and eating. Through this experience, they feel that having an environment where rice can be grown is a step toward protecting children’s futures.

“The most important thing is restoring pride to the rural community. We need to be able to take pride in the fact that we are the ones creating this landscape.” To that end, they spare no effort in enhancing the value of the rice grown here.In the “Amadake Onda Terraces,” an environment ideal for growing delicious rice, maximizing the potential of this land’s natural resources holds the possibility of developing a globally competitive rice brand. “It might be the generation after mine that makes it happen. Passing this legacy forward is my dream now.”

In December 2025, the group, previously operating as a production and sales association, incorporated as a company, establishing “Hoda Ryu Co., Ltd.” This move allows the company to aim for business expansion, focusing on broadening sales channels with an eye toward exports, processing agricultural products, and even engaging in satoyama conservation activities. It marks the step into a phase dedicated to passing on the region’s resources to the next generation.

The post 棚田の美しい風景を作る米、「坂本自然農場 穂田琉」／愛媛県東温市 first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Shinobu Kanda of “Aizu Inawashiro Kanda Farm” is striving to grow the best rice in Japan in Inawashiro Town, Fukushima Prefecture, where beautiful rice paddies spread out. After repeated trial and error, in 2024, he was awarded the highest prize, the “Gold Prize in the International Comprehensive Category,” at the 26th International Rice and Food Taste Analysis Contest. What is Mr. Kanda’s rice cultivation that made his dream of becoming the best in Japan come true?

The Last Paradise for Rice

Inawashiro Town, where Aizu Inawashiro Kanda Farm (hereafter, Kanda Farm) is located, is one of the most scenic areas in Japan, surrounded by Mt. Despite its elevation of more than 500 m, vast rice paddies are spread all over the area, blessed with abundant melted snow from the Bandai Mountains and dotted with rice fields with organic soil. It is also known as a heavy snowfall area with ski resorts, and since the statistics began, they have not observed a single extremely hot day. Kanda says with a smile, “This area, with its extreme temperature differences, may be the “last paradise” for rice now that global warming is advancing.

From Salesman to Farmer and from Wholesale to Direct Sales

After graduating from university, Mr. Kanda built a career as a salaried worker, but the turning point for him was the sudden death of his brother, who had taken over the family business. Following in his brother’s footsteps, he started farming in 2011 at the age of 30 to support his parents, who ran a farm and a guest house, but one month later the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. The earthquake caused extensive damage to agriculture, and the price of rice plummeted due to harmful rumors. In his search for a way to overcome the current situation, Mr. Kanda decided to switch to direct sales, taking advantage of his experience as a salesman. He began by thinking that the time would come when he would have to sell rice himself, since prices to JA and other wholesalers had dropped so dramatically that sales had plummeted. However, sales were low at first, and we realized that we needed to build up our quality and brand to be chosen by consumers,” he recalls. So he set a goal: to win an award at a rice competition by the age of 40, 10 years from now. This is where his challenge to become the best in Japan began.

Incidentally, the “International Rice Taste Analysis Competition,” for which Mr. Kanda won the gold medal, is a “rice competition” sponsored by the Association of Rice and Taste Analysts. In 2000, when the only mainstream method of testing rice was the “grading test,” the competition was launched to focus on the taste of the rice and to encourage the “revival of rural areas, agriculture, and rice farming,” which was in decline. The first competition started with less than 400 entries, but it has now grown into the world’s largest rice competition with a total of 5,000 entries and co-sponsorship with numerous local governments. Since the 10th edition, the competition has become an international event, and the rice of the winners of the competition has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.

Accumulating data through test cultivation of more than 10 patterns each year

In order to promote self-taught research, the first step is to conduct 10 patterns of test cultivation each year. He worked to improve the quality of the rice by changing the variety, cultivation method, amount of fertilizer, timing of harvesting, and other factors. The reaction from those around him was mixed, with some saying, “The ears haven’t appeared yet in Mr. Kanda’s rice fields. The test rice was then tested for eating quality, and the results were compared to the rice that had been harvested. The best lots of test rice were selected by measuring the taste with a taste meter and eating the rice, and in the following year, more than 10 more test cultivation patterns were tried. They continued to accumulate data through this unique test cultivation and established a cultivation method that they were satisfied with.

He is grateful for the encounters he has had. Making dreams come true by carving out your own path.

The people he has met through rice cultivation have also had a great influence on him and given him good fortune. In Minami Uonuma, the largest rice-producing region in Japan, I have a rice-growing mentor. After meeting him at the competition, I visited him every year and he taught me every detail about fertilizer, rice planting, and harvesting time. I have also continued my training visits to farmers who have won the top prize in Japan and exchanges with rice farmers from all over the country throughout the years,” he said happily. One of Mr. Kanda’s great strengths is his ability to use the communication skills he developed as a salesman and actively go out to learn and absorb good rice farming practices.

Premium rice “Yudai 21” gracing dining tables

The premium rice “Yudai 21” has been carefully cultivated through more than 10 patterns of trial cultivation. This “miracle rice” variety, which was developed as part of a development project at Utsunomiya University, is characterized by its stickiness, strong umami, and sweetness. Mr. Kanda has been working on this variety, which is recognized by rice farmers who have won the top prize in Japan in a competition, and has been aiming to become the best in Japan. In Inawashiro, where the altitude is high and the temperatures are low, we mainly grew Hitomebore, which is resistant to cold damage, but through trial and error, we succeeded in designing a fertilizer and cultivation method that suited the land. Yudai 21″ has the texture, graininess, feel, and presence as rice that I value.

Kanda Farm’s rice harvest began with glutinous rice, followed by Hitomebore and Yudai 21. Direct sales were low when they first started, and sales continued to be difficult, but the rice was well received by those who purchased it, and repeat business increased. Furthermore, the company became widely recognized for its award-winning products and began to achieve its sales goals. The product’s delicious taste, which remains unchanged not only after cooking but also over time, has gained a reputation for popularity, and the product is sold out every year.

Farming is a creative job. His goal is to be number one in Japan for five consecutive years!

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Kanda Farm’s “Yudai 21” won the highest award, the “Gold Prize in the International General Category,” at the 26th International Rice and Food Taste Analysis Competition held in 2024, which boasts the largest number of entries in Japan. Mr. Kanda was 44 years old. Having finally achieved the top prize in Japan, Mr. Kanda’s next goal is to win the top prize in Japan for five consecutive years. I believe that if you stop after winning an award, there is no progress,” he said. It is important that I am satisfied with my work, so I will continue to challenge myself every year and aim to win the award for five consecutive years. The reason why five consecutive years is so important is that this competition will be held in Fukushima Prefecture for three consecutive years starting in 2026. For that reason, I want to always be a challenger. Agriculture may seem like a simple job, but when you have a clear goal, it is very creative, and there is no other job so interesting,” he says, finding great satisfaction in the work.

The strict settings of rice milling machines are also the secret of good taste.

Mr. Kanda is currently conducting as many as 30 test cultivation patterns and is very particular about rice milling. He says that normally, rice would be cleaned by passing it through a color sorter multiple times, but because he does not want to damage the rice, he only passes it through the machine once to judge it strictly. By setting the machine’s line strictly, he is able to remove “cloudy white,” which is a milky white color among normally clear rice grains, and “belly white,” which is a cloudy white color on the belly of the grains, resulting in delicious rice with no cloying taste. Cloudy white and white belly grains do not cause taste problems when eaten, but they are caused by weather conditions (high temperatures, lack of sunlight, etc.) during growth, which are considered insufficient starch in the rice and cause the rice to become soft.

He states clearly, “What we had set strictly for entering in competitions has been adapted for regular sales, resulting in ideal, tasty rice.”

Rice that aims to be the best in Japan” and “the ultimate everyday food” are the two pillars of the company’s business.

He says that weed control is important in challenging the potential of “Yudai 21” through organic cultivation. In order to promote photosynthesis, he has to plant fewer seedlings than in “conventional” farming, where chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to increase yield and prevent pests and weeds, and he has to take extra measures against weeds. Farming is my calling, so I don’t consider it a hardship,” he says. I think I shine brighter than when I was a salesman, and it is a job I can be proud of for my children,” says Kanda, who gazes out at the rice paddies with his beloved family.

Since taking over as the fifth generation, he has been cultivating rice with two pillars, one of which is “aiming to be the best in Japan. The other is “the ultimate everyday food” that is reasonably priced and fills the stomachs of even children in their prime. While aiming to be the best in Japan, the company is sure to continue to bring happiness to everyday dining tables.

The post Pursuing delicious rice to eat, Shinobu Kanda of “Aizu Inawashiro Kanda Farm” shines as Japan’s best／Inawashiro Town, Fukushima Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

While running his organic dried fruit import and sales business “AMBESSA,” he is self-sufficient in food through natural cultivation, uses solar power for energy, and builds his own store. Mr. Kimishima continues to acquire the “zest for life” in Minami-Boso that he learned on his travels around the world, and is quietly questioning how he should live and work in the future.

Visit “Abyssinia,” AMBESSA’s directly managed grocery in Minami-Boso

The southern part of Boso Peninsula is one of the warmest areas in Chiba Prefecture, where citrus fruits and flowers are cultivated. In this area of southern Boso facing the Pacific Ocean, Mr. Kimishima lives with his wife, Aguri, and their two children. Although it is less than a 10-minute walk to the ocean, the gently rolling mountains of the Boso Hills approach the coast, with lush green satoyama mountains in the background. Standing as if blending in with the scenery of Minami-Boso is AMBESSA’s directly managed store, “Organic Grocery Abyssinia,” located on the grounds of the main building.

Incidentally, these store names are derived from the Rasta philosophy, which has greatly influenced Mr. Kimishima’s philosophy. The lion used as a symbol in various parts of Ethiopia, the starting point of this philosophy, is called AMBESSA in the ancient local language, and Ethiopia is called Abyssinia.

Building a “store that goes back to the soil.”

Abyssinia, which opened in 2018, was designed and built by Kimishima himself under the guidance of the architectural firm Koufurin in Isumi City, located in the central Boso Peninsula, using natural materials found in our daily lives, such as mountain clay, ocean sand, thinned wood, and rice husks.

It took about three and a half years and a lot of hard work to get it into shape, but I was able to maintain it myself and make it functional. For example, the thatch in the walls helps to insulate the building. He looks back on how his own experience of building with natural materials made him rediscover the qualities of Japanese traditional houses.

The “Back to the Soil” store sells organic dried fruits, nuts, spices, and herbs, as well as breads and baked goods made by Akuri.

Giving Value to Substandard Foods

Kimishima-san recommended Abyssinia, a dried fruit made from apples grown naturally in Aomori Prefecture without pesticides or fertilizers, which is one of AMBESSA’s staple products. It is characterized by its delicate, sweet flavor and the rich nourishing taste that comes out with each munching.

The dried apples used for this product are originally small and flawed, and are considered out of standard in general distribution. Even though they are out of standard, the taste is certain. We buy such fruits and vegetables that cannot be distributed in the market and dry them to increase their value. Processing them into dried products is also a part of our efforts in this regard.

Dry processing of selected ingredients

In 2010, AMBESSA began importing dried fruits and other agricultural products from overseas and distributing them to natural food stores and restaurants in Japan. In principle, products are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and are limited to those without additives or preservatives.

In recent years, in addition to tangerines, blueberries, raisins, prunes, and other fruits grown by the Kimishima family, the company has been increasingly using fruits from farms connected through acquaintances. These domestically grown fruits are dried in a dryer in his atelier.

The best moisture content is around 15%, but if the fruit is too dry, it will dry out and almost disappear, and if it is not dry enough, it will become moldy,” explains Kimishima. But if it is too dry, it will dry out and almost disappear, and if it is not dry enough, it will get moldy.

AMBESSA’s essential dried fruit is the date (jujube palm). In fact, it was a date that Mr. Kimishima encountered on a trip to North Africa that inspired him to start importing and selling dried fruits.

Bringing Dried Fruits to Japan

Mr. Kimishima was born in Fukagawa, Tokyo in 1977. When he was in his 20s, he worked part-time and whenever he had enough money saved up, he traveled around the world as a backpacker.

During his travels, he tasted dried dates from Tunisia and was surprised at how delicious they tasted. “At the time, there were no high quality organic dried fruits in Japan,” he said, and seeing the potential for business, he decided to start importing them. At the same time, however, Mr. Kimishima was not interested in dried fruit solely from a business standpoint. At the time, Mr. Kimishima was eating a vegetarian diet, and his interest in dried fruits was growing.

Living in Harmony with Nature in Central America

This was before his encounter with dates. During his trip to Central America, Mr. Kimishima stayed in a Rastafarian commune (a religious movement that emerged in the 1930s in Jamaica, mainly among the working class and peasants), which influenced reggae music and vegetarianism, and the experience of living in harmony with nature there greatly influenced his own philosophy. This experience greatly influenced his philosophy.

I felt that a way of life with nature, as in the Rastafarian commune, could provide hints for gradually solving various problems that society faces. I had a vague idea at the time that I might be able to convey this through products such as dried fruits. I also wanted to acquire the power to live like the people who helped me at the commune,” he said.

On a subsequent trip to Ethiopia, the starting point of the Rasta way of thinking, Mr. Kimishima positioned Ethiopia as the starting point of his own way of life.

Practicing a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle

After returning from his trip, Mr. Kimishima started a new life in Minami-Boso, as Mr. Akuri’s parents lived in Chiba Prefecture. He renovated an 80-year-old traditional Japanese house, generating his own electricity with solar power and practicing natural farming without using any pesticides or fertilizers in the rice paddies and fields. He makes a living and earns his living with his own hands.

He grows rice such as Sally Queen, a variety that goes well with curry and paella. Rye is used to make the bread and Stollen that Mr. Akuri makes. Vegetables and fruit trees for self-sufficiency grow in the field behind the store, and after harvesting, he also picks seeds. She says, “We should increase what we can do for our own survival, rather than entrusting it to someone else through money. If we do this, I think our current society, which is difficult to live in, will become a little more enjoyable and in harmony with the earth.

Bringing the Joy of Living to the Next Generation

Mr. Kimishima also enjoys “fun” to the fullest. He even renovated a warehouse on his property and built a disco.

He says, “We use electricity generated by solar power to make sound, spin a mirror ball, and have dinner while drinking craft beer brewed by a friend of mine from our fruit. I play like that with my friends,” Kimishima says with a laugh. While trying to get people interested in AMBESSA’s efforts through its products, Kimishima hopes to “convert this into something fun and open up opportunities to directly communicate our thoughts and ideas.

In the future, Kimishima’s vision is to promote community-supported agriculture, or CSA, in which producers and consumers in the same community work together to reduce food loss and purchase and support produce. What we are doing is also for the sake of future generations. It’s not a pretty word, but we have to leave a rich natural environment for our children. I would like to work together with others who share this vision.

Living in Minami-Boso, Kimishima’s daily life makes him realize that he is alive today. Through delicious food, Mr. Kimishima and his colleagues provide us with an opportunity to think about what is the fundamental joy and pleasure of being human.

The post Yuya Kimishima of “AMBESSA & CO” puts his passion for the power of life into organic dried fruits / Minami-Boso City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Ono City, located in the northeastern part of Fukui Prefecture on the border with Gifu Prefecture, is blessed with a climate of widely varying temperatures and subsoil water from the foot of Mount Hakusan, making it the third largest rice producing area in the prefecture. Masayuki Matsuda, the owner of Shirobei, a natural rice farmer who insists on using no pesticides or fertilizers, won the highest award in a rice competition. What is Mr. Matsuda’s commitment that produced this rice?

Oddball from Small Rural Community in Fukui Prefecture Wins Top Prize in Rice Competition

The Morime district of Ono City, Fukui Prefecture, where Mr. Matsuda lives, is a small community of 45 households, 40 of which are engaged in traditional farming. In 2006, he began growing rice naturally, without using pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or fungicides, in a pristine environment. Currently, 2.5 hectares of the 3.2 hectares of rice paddies are used to grow naturally grown rice varieties such as Akisakari, Himegomomi, Milky Queen, Sasanishiki, Asahi, and Nikkomaru. Weeding is kept to a minimum and no animal manure or other fertilizers are applied in order to keep the environment close to that of the wild. However, in 2015, its rice won a gold medal in the most difficult overall category at the National Rice and Food Taste Analysis Competition International, the largest rice fair in Japan, and has won gold medals and special excellence awards in various categories to date.

Akisakari” has its roots in ”Koshihikari

Koshihikari,” Japan’s representative rice, was actually born at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Fukui Prefecture. It has a large grain size, sweetness, and a rich aroma when cooked, and is harvested in large quantities. It is now grown all over Japan as a representative of delicious rice, and Fukui accounts for 70-80% of the rice harvested in Japan. However, due to the effects of global warming, the temperature during the “ripening period,” when the ears of rice emerge, blossom, pollinate, and the rice grows and enlarges, has become too hot, resulting in a deterioration of rice quality, known as “high temperature injury. In 2008, Fukui Prefecture developed the “Akisakari” variety as a countermeasure against high temperature damage. Having its roots in Koshihikari, it is tolerant of high temperatures and has a late maturation period to avoid high temperatures as much as possible. It is characterized by its slightly chewy texture, and the more it is chewed, the sweeter it tastes.

After trying it, I felt that Akisakari was the best for the region.

Mr. Matsuda began growing Akisakari right around the time it was announced. In 2012, an acquaintance secretly entered Mr. Matsuda’s Akisakari rice in a rice and taste evaluation contest. Although it did not win an award, it was highly praised, and he began growing it in earnest, thinking that he could produce rice that would win awards. The following year, he was certified as the “BEST FARMER” in the same competition, which received approximately 5,000 rice samples , and the selected Akisakari rice received the Environment Kingdom Special Excellence Award in the special cultivation category. Mr. Matsuda’s award was narrowly chosen based on the sum of his scores for eating quality, which is measured by an analyzer to measure moisture, protein, amylose, and fatty acids, and taste quality (miduchi), which measures the umami component of white rice.

Concerned about his family’s health, he moved to safe cultivation methods that do not use pesticides.

Mr. Matsuda insists on being recognized in competitions because he wants the people around him to understand the value of his naturally grown rice. He became ill after his son, who was spraying pesticides with him, inhaled them and collapsed. Concerned about his health, Mr. Matsuda began to teach himself how to grow rice without pesticides, recalling his childhood experience of growing rice using cow manure as fertilizer when his father ran a dairy farm. The rice harvested at that time was so beautiful and clear that it won the second prize in an evaluation by an agricultural cooperative, which was rare at that time.

Miracle apples” sparked a strong interest in natural cultivation

As he gathered more information, he came across the book “The Miracle Apple,” which was also made into a movie, written by Akinori Kimura, who is known as a charismatic figure of natural farming. He became interested in the natural way of farming, and began to attend seminars and workshops on natural farming around the country on weekends and with his salary. What surprised me the most was that when I put freshly cooked rice in a jar with the lid on, it fermented and smelled good. Organic rice was just going to rot and turn to mush,” he said. This was the farming method I was looking for, and I decided to spend the rest of my life on it,” said Matsuda.

Year after year, he realized that it is difficult to cultivate rice in soil accustomed to chemical ingredients.

Rice grown under the cover of the surroundings was highly appreciated.

The first year they started growing rice without pesticides, fertilizers, or fungicides, they were able to harvest four bales per square meter of rice paddies, half of what they had been able to produce with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The following year, however, the harvest dropped dramatically to only one bale. Seeing the rice paddies overgrown with weeds, his relatives were furious, saying, “We have gone crazy because we do not use pesticides and fertilizers. Mr. Matsuda believed that the problem lay in the soil soaked in chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Unable to overcome the many voices of opposition, such as, “If weeds grow, diseases and insects appear, it will cause trouble in the surrounding rice paddies,” he suspended pesticide-free, fertilizer-free, and fungicide-free cultivation. However, Mr. Matsuda was not ready to give up and decided to continue cultivating only one field in secret. As a result, the rice harvested from that one acre was recognized in a prestigious competition, which changed the attitude of those around him, and Mr. Matsuda gradually expanded his naturally cultivated acreage.

After decades of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides that became widespread after World War II, the soil is not easily restored to its natural state. It is important to remove the chemical components by digging the rice fields deeper to expose them to the air and by using the power of plants with deep roots, such as wheat, to take care of the soil. Even after 16 years of doing so, the weeds are finally getting under control. It will take more time,” said Matsuda, crushing the weed-covered soil with his fingers.

He is taking analytical data to “visualize” his pesticide- and fertilizer-free production.

Nevertheless, when I go out to the rice paddies now, I feel that the environment is gradually returning to the way it was in my childhood, with more snakes and frogs, and ducks flying in and out. The yield is still unprofitable, at most about 4 bales per hectare. There was a time when I tried to increase the planting density while checking how the rice was growing. He has also tried to make the rice fields more attractive to ducks, which eat weeds, by repeatedly flooding the fields with water. He is continuing his research by collecting rice data (data on amylose, which determines the viscosity of rice when cooked, and other quality data) for each rice paddy, which he will use for the following year’s cultivation.

In addition, in order to add value and increase the price per bale, they have asked the Tsukuba Analysis Center to measure residual pesticides and radiation to confirm safety. They also measure data on the analysis of brown rice components such as protein, carbohydrates, and sodium, and disclose this information when offering the rice as a tax return gift to hometowns and for publicity purposes.

How do you convert the evaluation of rice into needs?

Another thing that Mr. Matsuda is trying to do is to store the rice after harvesting. He keeps the brown rice in a cool storage at 12°C to ensure that the taste value does not change. He says that even one year after harvest, the taste of such rice does not deteriorate to the point where one cannot tell that the rice is old. If the rice is stored well, it does not oxidize and turn yellow, and it can be eaten for a long time,” he says.

When a tasting event was held at a local community center, Mr. Matsuda’s rice was rated as the best tasting rice compared to the same variety from other regions. However, even with such a reputation, when the price was discussed, rice stores and mass merchandisers would not take it up. The challenge for the future, he says, is how to turn the reputation of the rice into a need, and to get consumers who buy the rice once to become repeat buyers.

What is the true rice that Mr. Matsuda is aiming for?

Mr. Matsuda’s goal is to produce rice that has been grown without too much human intervention, that adapts to the local environment, and that has characteristics unique to that area. Many modern rice varieties are supposed to be grown with an abundance of fertilizers and pesticides. He is looking forward to seeing how such rice will explore cultivation policies and change its flavor in response to his own cultivation methods that are being evaluated.

It is said that when rice is grown naturally, it eventually becomes closer to the original species. Modern rice has a strong aroma when cooked and taste when you put it in your mouth, and many varieties of rice play a leading role in their own right. My rice is grown as it is, which I believe makes it closer to the original form of the plant called rice. I think it will be rice that is the star of the show, but not the main attraction, and not too tasty that it complements side dishes. Rice is a staple food, and Mr. Matsuda believes that it should not have too much individuality in order to keep eating it for a long time without getting tired of it.

I want to create a healthy Japan with naturally grown rice.

I want to keep my philosophy in mind,” he says, ”because if you only learn how to cultivate rice, you are just imitating others and will fall behind . When he looks at the condition of his rice paddies and the yield of his harvest, he almost fails many times, and every time he does, he remembers his starting point, his philosophy. Natural cultivation is so difficult and unprofitable considering the time and effort involved that only a few people engage in it.

Since they do not use herbicides, most of the 2,500 hours of annual farm work is spent weeding and mowing. He is absolutely confident in the taste of his rice, saying, “ If only there was a chance for people to try our rice once.” He is passionate in his words, saying, “I want to create a healthy future for Japan with strongly grown rice,” while adding value through competitions and analytical data based on his particular farming methods, which he started because of the health of his family.

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In recent years, there is a place that has received numerous gold medals in the “Rice and Taste Analysis Contest,” also known as the Olympics of rice, and is attracting attention for its delicious taste. Kofu Town, Hino-gun, Tottori Prefecture. In order to protect the town’s agriculture, rice farmers have united to establish the “Oku Daisen Premium Specially Cultivated Rice Study Group. This new initiative in the hometown of rice cultivation is attracting attention.

Kofu Town, Tottori Prefecture, at the foot of Daisen, ideal for rice cultivation.

Kofu Town, Hino-gun, is located in the southwestern part of Tottori Prefecture. Located at the foot of Daisen, the highest mountain in western Japan, Kofu Town is also known as “Oku Daisen” and is adjacent to Daisen Oki National Park. The town is famous for the delicious natural water that flows from the largest primeval beech forest in western Japan, so much so that several water factories have set up in the area. In addition, the black-bok soil created from the volcanic ash of Daisen has excellent water retention capacity, making the land suitable for growing crops.
Kofu Town has long been known as one of the best rice-growing areas in Tottori Prefecture.

Birth of Daisen Kofu Rice

However, since the 2000s, the number of aging farmers and the number of new farmers has been declining, and the future of rice farming in Kofu Town was in jeopardy. In addition, the decrease in the farming population has led to an increase in abandoned farmland, and the town’s rice production has become obsolete.

We want to protect the delicious rice of Kofu Town. The “Oku Daisen Premium Specially Cultivated Rice Study Group,” chaired by Isao Endo, was started out of this desire to “protect the delicious rice of Kofu Town and make it even more delicious. If the recognition of Oku Daisen Kofu Rice as a specialty product of Kofu Town increases, it will become a sought-after product throughout the country. If sales of rice are expanded, it will lead to higher incomes for farmers. This will lead to the development of local leaders and new farmers, and will help to protect the farmland of Kofu Town.

The abundant nature, the clear streams of Daisen, and the difference in temperature between day and night produce delicious rice. Kofu Town has inherited these blessings. With the philosophy of “protecting local agriculture and farmland in the community,” we want to preserve this town and its delicious rice for future generations. With this in mind, the rice farmers of Kofu Town, JA, and the local government joined hands to establish a study group in 2013.

Commitment to Specially Cultivated Rice

The research group pursues better tasting rice. The standard adopted for this purpose was “specially cultivated rice” as defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Compared to conventional rice cultivation, which uses pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, special rice cultivation requires a reduction of pesticide use and nitrogen content of chemical fertilizers to less than 50% each.
Even a 50% reduction is a challenge, but Daisen Kofu rice is grown using 90% less chemical fertilizers than conventional rice cultivation. The chemical fertilizers are used only for seedling cultivation, not for the rice paddies.

There are two measures of rice taste: taste (shokumichi) and taste (midori). Shokumichi is a machine measure of the moisture, protein, amylose, and other components of brown rice, and visualizes the rice’s umami (flavor) components. In Japan, 65 to 75 points is considered the average value.
The taste value measures the degree of stickiness (water retention film) that forms when white rice is cooked, and is a quantification of the taste of the rice.

The highest score for both is 100, and the higher the score, the tastier the rice. Furthermore, the size of the grains is one of its characteristics. In Kofu Town, the mesh size when sifting brown rice is 1.9 mm.
Although the difference is only 0.1 mm, the 1.9 mm sieve reduces the proportion of immature grains, and the grains are more pleasant to the touch when chewed.

Kinumusume, the pride of Tottori Prefecture, and the starry sky dance

Mr. Endo grows three varieties of rice: Koshihikari, Kinumusume, and Hoshizoramai. Originally, Koshihikari was the main rice grown, but the recent rise in temperature has resulted in the harvesting of a cloudy white rice called unripe rice. The taste of unripe rice is not much different from that of regular rice, but when grading it, its rank is lowered due to its poor appearance.
In response, Tottori Prefecture began recommending two varieties of rice, Kinumusume and Hoshizoramai.
Kinumusume is a late maturing variety produced by combining Kinuhikari, which does not easily fall over, and Aichi 92, which is resistant to disease. Hoshizoramai, on the other hand, is a relatively new variety produced by crossing Sasanishiki, which is less sticky and has a refreshing taste, and Torikei, which has long been cultivated in Tottori. Named after the fact that Tottori Prefecture is the most starry prefecture in Japan, this variety is attracting a great deal of attention as “rice that shines like a star.

Kinumusume and Hoshizoramai are less likely to produce immature rice even at low elevations, so Mr. Endo’s farmers plant Koshihikari at high elevations, Hoshizoramai at intermediate elevations, and Kinumusume at low elevations in order to reduce the amount of immature rice.

The secret to deliciousness

In the study group, members compete with each other’s rice production techniques and confirm rules for cultivating special rice and safe methods of using pesticides.

The most important of all is daily water management. When the temperature is high, the depth of the water in the rice paddies is raised to maintain a constant water temperature.
The rice in Kofu Town is delicious because of the cold water from Daisen and the temperature difference between day and night. We do our best to make the most of it,” says Endo.

He has also asked Mr. Goichi Endo, a famous special rice farmer from Yamagata Prefecture, to give him advice on everything from soil preparation to harvesting methods. Mr. Goichi is a rice farmer who began organic cultivation in the 1980s, when pesticides and chemical fertilizers were the norm, and has frequently won gold medals in the “Rice and Food Taste Analysis Contest. He is a legendary rice farmer who is also known as “Japan’s No. 1 rice artisan.
Since the soil in Kofu Town is highly acidic in nature, he adds alkaline fertilizers, the mineral boron, and other fertilizers, mainly those instructed by Mr. Goichi, to his rice paddies. They also add bamboo charcoal and bamboo powder, which are specialties of the Kakihara area of Kofu Town, to improve the soil and eliminate weeds. By adding fertilizers of natural origin and maintaining a balance of soil components, the farmers are able to produce rice with a better taste.
I want people to eat good-tasting rice,” he said. We want people to eat good-tasting rice, and we want to cultivate in accordance with nature. That is why at Daisen Efu Rice, we try to use fertilizers that are derived from nature, not chemical fertilizers.

Received the highest gold medal at the Japan’s Best Rice Contest.

The rice produced by the members of the study group thus created has been highly acclaimed throughout the country.

At the “Rice Japan’s No. 1 Contest in Shizuoka,” held annually in Shizuoka Prefecture to compete for the best taste of rice, Kinumusume was awarded the “Highest Gold Prize,” second to the highest honor, in 2016 and 2018. Furthermore, Koshihikari and Kinumusume received gold medals in the “Rice and Taste Analysis Contest,” which analyzes and appraises the taste of rice as well as its grade, and their taste became well known nationwide.

Since then, the company has entered its rice in competitions every year, winning gold medals and top prizes. They continue to pursue even better tasting rice and aim to win prizes with their new rice variety, HOSHIKURI Mai.

We want to deliver safe, secure, and delicious rice

Daisen Efu Rice is grown with less use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The cultivation method of using naturally derived products and focusing on taste sometimes results in a reduced yield.

The yield is also reduced when we try to obtain the best taste,” he says. Even so, we want to produce a product that has both flavor and yield. To achieve this, we are researching what kind of cultivation methods we should use and what we should feed them,” says Endo.

The company also continues to aim for higher standards of taste. He aims to achieve a taste value of 90 or higher in both eating quality and taste quality, and he is currently striving to produce “tasty rice” that is highly evaluated in competitions.
Safer and tastier rice. The future of Daisen Kofu rice is approaching.

The post Safe and delicious rice filled with Daisen’s blessings. Daisen Premium Specially Cultivated Rice Research Group first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kawaba Village, located in the northern part of Gunma Prefecture, is a farming and mountain village with a population of about 3,000, formed by four first-class rivers, including the Usuene River, which flows from Mount Muson (Hotakayama). In Gunma Prefecture, which is not known for its rice production, Kawaba Village’s Koshihikari “Yukihotaka” and a new variety “Yudai 21” have attracted attention for their high quality, winning consecutive gold awards at the Rice and Food Taste Analysis Competition, one of the largest rice competitions in Japan.

Phantom rice” grown in a perfect environment for rice cultivation

Kawaba Village, located at the southern foot of Mt. Muson, is a rural village with a wide landscape, where rice cultivation has flourished since ancient times and many of the villagers are involved in farming. Kawaba Village’s rice has long been distributed and consumed exclusively locally, thanks to the combination of cold melt water from Mt.
For a long time, the rice in Kawaba Village was distributed and consumed only locally, and the villagers were never aware of how tasty the rice they ate was.
However, when Kawaba Village chose the path of self-reliance without merging with neighboring municipalities after the Heisei Era merger, it began to feel a sense of crisis that the village might decline if agriculture, the village’s main industry, did not also become self-reliant.
The entire village began to take on the challenge of making Kawaba’s rice, which they consider delicious and enjoy eating, into a brand and delivering it to as many people as possible in order to make the village’s agriculture industry independent.

Yukihotaka” and ‘Yudai 21,’ which have won gold medals at numerous competitions in succession.

Kawaba Village’s Koshihikari rice, which had been distributed only locally, was to be branded and delivered to a large number of people. To achieve this, the villagers decided to brand the rice they had originally produced as “Yukihotaka” (snow hotaka), since it was grown with melted snow from Mt.
We decided to see how our delicious “Yukihotaka” rice would be evaluated outside of the village, so we entered it in the “Japan’s Best Rice Contest” for the first time in 2006. We entered it for the first time in 2006, and it suddenly won third place, which was a very good result. It gave us a lot of confidence that our rice would be recognized not only by ourselves but also by others,” recalls Satoshi Kobayashi, a rice grower at Yukihotaka Co.
Since 2007, the cooperative has entered its rice in one of the largest rice competitions in Japan, the “Rice and Taste Analysis Contest,” and has received high evaluations every year, which gave them even more confidence. The company now sells, collects, and bags rice, and has established a system for quality control of Kawaba-mura brand rice through the company.

Growing rice true to the basics, taking advantage of local characteristics

The International Comprehensive Section, which is the main section of the “Rice and Taste Analysis Competition” with over 5,000 total entries, has produced around 18 gold medal winners every year. The fact that 12 gold medalists and 19 gold medal winners have been awarded in the 17 years since the first entry shows how well suited this land is for rice cultivation. In order to make the best use of the land’s environmental advantages, the farmers are always striving to produce better rice by trying slightly more challenging experiments every year while adhering to the basics of rice production.
One such challenge is the “Yudai 21,” a new mutation of Koshihikari rice developed by Utsunomiya University.
In 2020, “In October, we had a series of high temperature days, and for the first time in five years, ‘Yukihotaka’ lost the gold medal in the Rice and Food Taste Analysis Competition, which had won the gold medal eight years in a row. At the same time, many of the rice varieties were cracking or breaking after harvest. This made us feel a sense of crisis that it might become difficult to produce Koshihikari rice in Kawaba Village in the future.
In light of the recent abnormal weather, Mr. Kobayashi and other rice growers decided to do something about it, and as a joint project among Yukihotaka, Kawaba Village, and Kinshokai (a group of Gold Award winners), they tried to produce “Yudai 21,” which is harvested later than the Koshihikari rice they are currently growing, and is resistant to cracks in the rice body. The first year, the rice and food quality was improved. In its first year, it was awarded a gold medal in the Rice and Taste Analysis Contest. Recently, “Yudai 21” rice from Kawaba Village has won consecutive gold awards in the same contest.
Without this challenge, the village would not have been able to find a new rice variety that is compatible with the local weather and environment, and the consecutive gold medals in the Rice and Taste Analysis Contest that Kawaba rice has established might have remained unbroken.

Gunma’s rice goes from being unknown to being recognized around the world

The “World’s Best Rice,” planned by Toyo Rice Co., Ltd. and recognized in the Guinness World Records as the world’s most expensive rice. Yukihotaka” has become a well-known name with its spectacular awards in numerous competitions, including being selected as one of only six producers to be used as the raw material for the ‘World’s Best Rice’. Now, “Yudai 21” is also attracting attention as a new rice produced in Kawaba Village.
When we created the “ Yukihotaka” brand about 20 years ago, no one knew that the rice was from Gunma. We didn’t have the image of a rice farm, so it was very gratifying to win an award and have people from all walks of life become aware of our rice.
It was also the Rice and Taste Analysis Competition held in Kawaba Village that changed Kobayashi’s mind about rice cultivation, he says.
Three of my seniors in Kawaba Village won gold medals at that competition. When I saw that people I met regularly were recognized as the best rice growers in Japan, I thought that I could do it too. I wanted to produce that kind of rice.
Receiving recognition at the competition has become one of his goals, and has led to improved quality and awareness among all producers in the village.

Kawaba Village Rice Center” built by the village for rice quality control

What is important in producing good-tasting rice is 70% the land environment, 20% production management, and the remaining 10% the post-harvest system. No matter how good the rice is harvested, the quality may deteriorate depending on the subsequent management.
Kawaba Village has few so-called large-scale farmers, and because small farmers grow rice close together, it is difficult for individuals to make expensive capital investments. Therefore, the village invested in large-scale facilities and built the “Kawaba-mura Rice Center,” which can be used jointly. This is another challenge for the village to survive as a production center.
Kawaba Village is a mountainous area, so each rice field is small and the harvest is not large. In order to compensate for these disadvantages with quality, we have created a system that allows each producer to concentrate on rice production while adjusting the balance between quality, price, and harvest volume,” said Hoshino Takashi Hoshino, managing director of Yuki-Hotaka Co. which operates the Kawaba Village Rice Center under designated management,” says Takayuki Hoshino, managing director of Hotaka Co.
Since the price of rice purchased varies greatly depending on the grade and score of rice, the Rice Center dries and prepares rice for each producer, and feeds back information on each rice crop to encourage individual improvement and creativity.

Yuki-Hotaka Corporation,” which promotes rice cultivation through public-private partnerships

Rice growers in Kawaba Village can concentrate on rice production with peace of mind, both from the hard side of knowing that if they bring their rice to the rice center, it will always be purchased, and from the soft side of being motivated to produce delicious rice by the awards they have received in competitions. The producers themselves are self-reliant through farming, and the weakness of low yields is solved by producing high quality rice.
Ltd. is also responsible for the sales of rice purchased at the Kawaba Rice Center, the price, and the development of sales channels.
The high evaluation of the rice in various competitions has spread throughout Japan, and the value of “”Yukihotaka“” as a brand of rice is increasing. Now we buy it from producers at about 1.5 times the market price, and from there we put it into distribution, so when it hits store shelves, it costs about twice as much as regular rice,” says Hoshino.
In order to maintain this high quality, high added value, and high unit price, cultivation workshops are held about six times a year to unify producers’ intentions and cultivation techniques.
Ltd. controls the quality and sets the price of “Yukihotaka” so that the growers of Kawaba Village’s brand-name rice can earn a fair profit. This is one successful example of how the public and private sectors have cooperated to create a unique local system and systematize the village’s agriculture so that it can become self-supporting.

Realization of Kawaba Village’s slogan “Agriculture + Tourism

The slogan that Kawaba Village adopted 50 years ago for its village development is “Agriculture + Tourism.
Currently, the Roadside Station Kawaba Denen Plaza, one of the top-class roadside stations in Japan, is a popular tourist spot, attracting approximately 2.5 million visitors a year.
In the area of “agriculture,” the company has challenged the “ Yukihotaka” competition and built a strong brand by improving the quality and name recognition of its products. They have also realized high quality, high value-added products at high unit prices, and solved the problem of small rice paddies and low yields in mountainous areas.
The farmers have established their own production cooperative, which then operates as a joint-stock company and manages the brand-name rice, including its sales. As long as the rice of Kawaba Village continues to maintain its high quality and strong brand power, the rural landscape of the village will be well protected by the villagers. This creates a virtuous cycle that attracts even more people to Kawaba Denen Plaza, a roadside station, as they come to be comforted by the beautiful countryside.
Both agriculture and tourism are the result of making the most of the land’s original charm and environment, and this will continue to be a source of pride and confidence for the villagers in the future.

The post Yuki Hotaka Co., Ltd.’s rice farming reforms began with the brand rice that won consecutive gold medals in competitions. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Yudai 21 is the first good-tasting paddy rice variety produced by a national university and an original rice variety born in Utsunomiya University. It has a majestic appearance, just like its catchphrase, “its appearance is majestic and magnificent,” and since its registration, the rice has received excellent results at many competitions every year.

First new breed of national university corporation

Yudai 21 was established on a farm affiliated with the Faculty of Agriculture at Utsunomiya University.
It is located in a rural area of Maoka City, Tochigi Prefecture, about 13 km southeast of the campus in Utsunomiya City, making it easy for students to get around.
The farm has a total area of 101 hectares, equivalent to about 21 Tokyo Domes, where education and research are conducted in rice paddies, common fields, vegetable fields, orchards, greenhouses for institutional horticulture, fodder fields, and pastureland.

The predecessor of the Faculty of Agriculture of Utsunomiya University, “Utsunomiya Higher School of Agriculture and Forestry,” was founded in 1922.
It is one of the longest-established faculties of agriculture at a national university. Today, a wide range of education and research is conducted in five departments: the Department of Bioresource Science, the Department of Applied Biochemistry, the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Agricultural Economics, and the Department of Forest Science, aiming at sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation through practical education and advanced research on a vast farm and in cooperation with local communities. Through practical education and advanced research on a vast farm, the university aims to develop human resources with a global perspective in cooperation with local communities, with the goal of sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.

Miracle of the birth of Yudai 21

Yudai 21 is called “a miracle that it was born.

The reason for this is that the strain on which Yudai 21 was based was discovered by chance.
In 1990, Professor Emeritus Tadanobu Maeda, then an assistant professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, discovered a single, particularly large ear of rice in a test field at the affiliated farm where he was conducting experimental cultivation. After 20 years of cultivation research, selection, and fixation of this single plant, he registered it as a new variety in 2010.

The chance encounter with Professor Emeritus Maeda, who did not miss it, led to the discovery of a slightly larger ear of rice among the thousands of rice plants. Who could have imagined that 20 years later, this rice would dominate rice competitions nationwide?
Before it was registered as a variety, Yudai 21 was called “U21L,” which is derived from “U” for Utsunomiya University and “L” for large ear.

Based on this strain name, the name “Yudai 21” was given by combining the size of the first ears of rice found, the grandeur of the affiliated farm, and the name of Utsunomiya University, “Udai” and “Yudai”.

Emerges as a prominent figure in the “Rice and Taste Analysis Contest.

After the variety was registered, Yudai 21 appeared for the first time in the Special Excellence Award of the International Rice and Taste Analysis Competition, which is considered the largest rice competition in Japan, at the 15th competition held in 2013. Starting with this, Yudai 21 was nominated for the Gold Prize in the International General Section at the 16th competition, and at the 23rd competition, five winners of the Gold Prize in the International General Section and four winners of the Special Excellence Award exhibited the same variety and received the awards.

In the 25th competition, 10 out of 18 winners of the Gold Award and 10 out of 24 winners of the Special Excellence Award in the International Comprehensive Category were Yudai 21, and more than half of the prizes were awarded to this variety.
Before Yudai 21 emerged to prominence, Koshihikari accounted for more than half of the prize winners, but the competition situation has changed drastically in just 10 years.

Yudai 21 tastes good even when cold

What is the taste of Yudai 21, a variety that is dominating the show? According to Professor Yukitsugu Takahashi of the Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, the main characteristics of Yudai 21 are its strong and well-balanced umami taste, and the more you chew it, the sweeter it tastes.

In addition, even after six hours have passed since the rice was cooked, it retains the softness it had immediately after cooking. In other words, the true value of this rice is demonstrated when eaten cold, such as onigiri (rice ball) or bento (lunch box).

Characteristics of Yudai 21 and differences from Koshihikari

Yudai 21, which has been developed through comparative cultivation with Koshihikari, is slightly larger than Koshihikari, making it more satisfying. The stickiness of the rice immediately after cooking is 5.5 times greater than that of Koshihikari, and even when the rice is old, the decrease in stickiness is less than 30%. This is more than three times the stickiness of old Koshihikari rice.

Based on these data, many growers are expecting that this variety will surpass Koshihikari.

The Potential of the 21 Contemporary Art Museum

Another of Yudai 21’s major strengths is its resistance to heat.

This was known to some extent from the beginning of the research, but Professor Takahashi, Professor Yoshikazu Nagao of the Faculty of Agriculture at Utsunomiya University, and other university members involved in Yudai 21 were unable to fully grasp the extent to which it was actually heat-resistant.
However, in 2023. That summer was surprisingly hot, with the average temperature hitting its highest level since statistics began, and the total number of extremely hot days reaching its highest level since 2010.

Yudai 21 overcame the heat and won more awards than Koshihikari in the 2023 Rice and Food Taste Analysis Contest.
In contrast to Koshihikari, which is vulnerable to heat, Yudai 21 was able to overcome the extreme heat and still produce good eating quality and characteristics. This demonstrates that this variety has the ability to cope with considerable heat. It has the potential to become more popular in Japan, where temperatures are expected to rise due to global warming.

Where Yudai 21 is headed

Although Yudai 21 has so many strengths and high potential, it has a characteristic that makes its cultivation method difficult.

The reason for this is that Yudai 21 rice is tall, and depending on recent weather conditions, it may sag strongly. Although the stalks do not break, they grow vigorously, and if the rice falls over, harvesting becomes difficult, leading to a decrease in yield and a decline in quality. If cultivation is difficult, it is difficult to increase production. Therefore, Utsunomiya University continues to conduct cultivation research in order to establish a better cultivation method that is adapted to the environment and weather conditions.
The next phase for Yudai 21, which has won high acclaim in numerous competitions, is to expand its share of the market as a delicious brand of rice like Koshihikari and Tsuyahime, and to make it a business model. To achieve this goal, the next phase of Yudai 21 will be to clear the challenges and increase production to make the variety easily accessible to everyone and readily available on dinner tables throughout Japan. Utsunomiya University’s challenges will continue in the future.

The post Original rice from a national university that dominates rice competitions throughout Japan. Utsunomiya University “Yudai 21” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

“Sakihokole” rice for the top

Akita Prefecture is a rice-producing region, boasting the third largest rice production in Japan after Niigata and Hokkaido. The main rice produced in Akita is the well-known “Akita Komachi,” a rice variety with excellent stickiness and taste that was created in 1984 and soon became the top brand in Japan, and is now a staple brand in the Tohoku region. The name Akita-Komachi has long been a staple brand in the Tohoku region, and many people probably think of Akita-Komachi when they think of Akita. Akita Komachi has long been Akita Prefecture’s mainstay rice. That will not change in the future, but Sakihokore was created as a rice that aims for the top in a different direction from Akita Komachi,” said Hitoshi Kodama, a rice farmer in the Senboku Plain for generations.

The Senboku Plain, where Kodama’s rice fields are located, is an agricultural area of 10,060 ha of rice paddies in the south-central part of Akita Prefecture, straddling Daisen City, Senboku City, and Misato Town. The Omonogawa River, a first-class river, flows through the area, and the Dewa Mountains and the Ou Mountains provide moderate protection from the monsoon winds. The difference in temperature, clean water, and the environment suitable for producing high quality rice have made this an area where rice cultivation has thrived since ancient times. There is a local culture in which each farmer shares their success stories with each other, and it is also a place where farmers with the highest level of rice cultivation techniques in Japan gather. The warmth of each farmer’s desire for people to enjoy delicious rice has improved the rice cultivation techniques in the region. Mr. Kodama is also a veteran farmer who has twice won the gold medal, the highest award given to the top 10 winners of the “Obako-no-Takumi” (artisan rice growers) in the “Delicious Rice Competition” held by the Akita Obako Agricultural Cooperative, known for handling the largest amount of rice in Japan, with the aim of improving eating quality, an important consideration in consumer regions. Mr. Kodama has cultivated Akita brand rice such as “Akita Komachiya,” “Aki-no-Kirameki,” and “Yume-Obako,” and was selected as a Sakihokore test farmer for his high skills in rice cultivation, a requirement for farmers who can consistently produce high quality rice.

Noted as a rice that surpasses Koshihikari

Sakihokore is a new variety developed by Akita Prefecture based on the concept of “an extremely good-tasting variety that surpasses Koshihikari. While Akita Komachi is a variety for everyone, characterized by its fine texture and gentle sweetness, Sakihokore has a crispy texture with a good graininess. The more it is chewed, the more delicious and flavorful it becomes. It is said to be attracting attention as the next generation of rice among experts such as rice masters.
Because Sakihokore is a late maturing rice variety, it is grown in “recommended planting areas” where weather conditions and other factors are carefully regulated, and only growers who have met certain standards of basic rice cultivation skills are allowed to cultivate it. For these reasons, Sakihokore rice, produced with an emphasis on taste, is the rice of choice for growers.
First of all, the area must have an average daytime temperature of 22 degrees Celsius or higher when the rice is in full ripeness. In addition, the harvested Sakihokore must have a brown rice protein level of 6.4 or less. This is because a higher protein level would upset the balance of the rice’s flavor and texture. However, 6.4 or less is a very strict standard. Producers cannot easily produce Sakihokore. We are relieved that the Sakihokore we produced this year had a protein level of 5.5 and a taste of 86,” says Kodama.

For example, if you apply fertilizer to increase the yield of rice, the protein level will go up. Sakihokore is a variety that produces better quality grains one grain at a time, even if the yield is low. It is not possible to produce a good harvest without thinking and devising ways to grow the crop with a focus on flavor. Mr. Kodama took all possible measures from the first year of planting, and harvested Sakihokore that far exceeded the standard value. The taste was beyond even long-time rice farmer Kodama’s expectations.
I will continue to work hard to produce high quality rice so that Sakihokore will become a new light of Akita,” he said. I believe that if I do my best, there will be younger farmers who will follow in my footsteps, and the quality of rice production in the region as a whole will improve. I believe that this will lead to the growth of the entire production area. Mr. Kodama’s eyes were gazing into the future, the future that Japan’s rice cultivation should aim for.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

秋田の水が作り出す水田で美味しいお米を。水田環境鑑定士･米農家 渡部浩見さん／秋田県湯沢市 – NIHONMONO 水田環境鑑定士とは？ 取材の日はあいにくの雨。本当ならば最後の稲刈りをし、田んぼで稲を見ながらの予定だったのだ

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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.

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In 2022, “Rice Master Minori Garden” won gold medals at the “International Rice and Taste Analysis Competition” and “Japan’s No.1 Rice Contest in Shizuoka” in succession at the largest rice competition in Japan. The garden is located in the mountainous area of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, a city blessed with nature, and grows delicious rice that is recognized around the world through “natural cultivation” that does not use pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or organic fertilizers.

Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, is blessed with a natural environment ideal for rice cultivation.

Shinjo City in Yamagata Prefecture is located in the northeastern part of the prefecture and is surrounded by mountains such as Mount Tsukiyama and Mount Kamimuro, one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan. The melt water from the mountains is rich in minerals and has long been known for its ability to produce delicious rice. The climate is favorable for the rice plants, which are exposed to the sun during the day to produce flavorful ingredients, which are then locked in during the cooler nights and mornings.

The Igarashi family is a rice farmer who owns about 15 hectares of rice paddies mainly in the mountains of Shinjo City at an elevation of 150 meters. Rice farming has been the family’s occupation for generations since the Kansei era of the Edo period (1603-1868), and now the family, led by Shigeo Igarashi, the eighth generation of the family, is working together to farm.

Falling in love with the delicious taste of rice, Igarashi became a farmer with a single-minded determination.

Mr. Narusei was born in Omagari City (now Daisen City) in Akita Prefecture, but moved to Yamagata Prefecture when he entered university. After graduation, he was working as a cram school teacher when he met his wife, Eriko, who became his son-in-law.

Although Mr. Nario was not a farmer, his family ran a catering restaurant, so he was accustomed to eating good rice. However, when he first tasted the Igarashi family’s rice, he was shocked at how delicious it was. Hearing his father-in-law’s words, “I am thinking of leaving the farm in my generation because there is no one to succeed me,” Narusei said, “It would be a waste to quit the farm when we can produce such delicious rice. He decided to take over the farm and pass on the delicious taste of rice to the next generation.

Happiness of Living in the Natural Cycle of Human Nature

The Igarashi family’s rice cultivation style has been conventional, using pesticides and chemical fertilizers for generations. Having no farming experience, Mr. Narusei spent a year learning from his father-in-law how to use farm machinery and how to do the work from scratch. He felt that farming was his true calling, as it suited his personality in many ways, including his love of operating machinery, the freedom to spend time on his own, and his ability to learn and make improvements as he went along. In the mountainous rice paddies where he works, he can hear the sounds of animals and feel the changing seasons as the wind blows through the fields. He wakes up early in the morning before 5:00 a.m. to begin his work and finishes it at dusk. The feeling of living in such a natural cycle is a fresh and happy time for Mr. Narusei.

Carving Out Sales Channels with His Own Hands

However, it is not all happiness. After taking over the Igarashi family business, Narusei first became aware of the tight business situation. He thought the business had been in the family for generations and was doing well, but in reality, it was in dire straits and needed immediate improvement.

If we don’t make more money, we won’t be able to make a living,” he said. So, instead of relying on vendors to sell our products, we should develop our own sales channels. To help visitors understand what kind of products they were selling, they named themselves “Rice Master Minori Garden” and sold the rice directly to the visitors. As a result, the rice was well received and sold well. They were able to hear directly from consumers and felt a great response to their efforts to develop their own sales channels.

Natural farming started with a desire to feed young children

A diligent learner who used to teach at a cram school, Mr. Narusei participated in various study groups on agriculture. In addition to deepening his learning, he expanded his connections with other farmers. Then a major turning point came. He met a farmer who was growing his produce naturally.

At the time, Mr. and Mrs. Igarashi were raising their children and wanted to feed them food that was as safe and secure as possible. Therefore, natural farming, which does not use pesticides and is healthy for the farmer, seemed to be the best way to grow rice for both consumers and farmers.

Conventional cultivation generally uses pesticides and fertilizers to improve the taste of rice and prevent disease, but in natural cultivation, crops are grown by natural forces alone, without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Easier said than done, but growing rice without the use of pesticides and fertilizers developed for good rice cultivation has never been easy.

Of course, they could not suddenly go all out and grow everything naturally, so they tried growing the Yamagata variety “Haenuki” naturally in a small 10-area rice field, which is about the size of five tennis courts. However, the Haenuki, which is originally short in stature, did not grow fully in natural cultivation, and the ears fell off when harvesting with a combine harvester, so they could not even harvest the crop. The next year, they tried again with Koshihikari, which is taller and tastier.

Carefully dealing with the hard work of weeding

Using a hand-pushed weeder, the farmers carefully weed the rice paddies from top to bottom.

However, since they do not use herbicides in their natural cultivation, they are faced with the problem of how to get rid of the weeds that are growing thick and fast.

His father-in-law, who was a man who never complained about the policy and allowed him to do as he pleased, thought it was fine to report the start of natural farming after the fact, but even he was shocked when he saw the overgrown paddy fields.

Even so, Mr. and Mrs. Igarashi did their best to meet the expectations of their father-in-law, who had understood their desire to continue natural cultivation. For example, they use a hand-pushed weeder to weed the roots of the rice plants so as not to damage them. It is hard work to stir the soil with one’s feet so that the soil can be oxygenated. The farm started with 10 hectares of rice paddies and gradually expanded to 1.2 hectares, an area about one-fourth the size of the Tokyo Dome, as his techniques improved. However, weeding a paddy field of that size takes 24 to 36 hours per weeding operation. This is done three times a season, and then the remaining weeds are hand-picked one by one. Compared to conventional cultivation, weeding is by far the hardest work, as it requires careful management of water volume to protect the rice plants from heat and cold.

Challenge to a Nationwide Competition

After years of natural cultivation, Minori Garden was presented with an opportunity. The president of the Association of Rice and Food Tasters visited Shinjo City to give a lecture. He measured the taste of Minori Garden’s “naturally grown Koshihikari” and found that it had a taste value of more than 70, which is well above the average. Generally, rice with a taste value of 70 or higher is considered tasty enough, but Minori Garden’s rice had a taste value of 85 or higher. Immediately, we were advised to enter the rice in the “International Rice and Taste Analysis Competition,” sponsored by the Association. They immediately entered both conventionally grown rice and naturally grown rice in the competition and found that the naturally grown rice had by far the highest taste score, which made them realize the great potential of natural cultivation. The first year they could not even pass the first round of judging, but since then they have worked hard to produce high quality rice every year, and as a result, the eating quality of Minori Garden’s naturally grown Koshihikari rice is now above 90.

Three varieties of rice won gold medals in the 10th year.

Finally, in the 10th year of natural cultivation, he won a gold medal at the “International Rice and Taste Analysis Contest. After that, with the encouragement of others, he entered the “Japan’s No.1 Rice Contest in Shizuoka”. Three varieties of rice, Tsuyahime, Koshihikari, and Yudai 21, won gold medals. He was also certified as “the world’s best rice ingredient for Toyo Rice,” a distinction given to only a handful of the gold award winners, and this was the beginning of his becoming a nationally known rice farmer.

We want to increase the number of young people who want to become farmers.

Minori Garden’s rice has the power to bring smiles to the faces of those who eat it, thanks to its gloss, aroma, and taste after cooking. This is the result of Mr. Narusei’s tireless efforts. He exchanges information with other natural farmers across the country to hone his techniques, and continues his steady work of careful weeding and homegrown seeds, which results in a delicious taste that increases year by year. This is reflected in the taste value, which has led to this wonderful award. Mr. Narusei’s next goal is to win the Diamond Medal in the International Rice Taste Analysis Competition. The Diamond Medal is awarded to growers who have won five or more gold medals and three consecutive gold medals in the overall category at this competition, and is a sign that they are “the best rice growers. I hope that this award will encourage more young people to aspire to become farmers. I would like to convey the charm of agriculture with my own backside,” says Narusei. He will continue to improve his cultivation techniques to brighten the future of the agricultural industry.

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