【Reading】じゃぽにかしゅ

【English Name】Japonica

"Japonica" is a general term for biological species whose subspecies epithet bears the Latin adjective meaning "of Japan." However, when this name appears in the world of sushi, it substantively refers to japonica rice (Oryza sativa subsp. japonica). Almost all rice produced and consumed domestically in Japan belongs to this subspecies, and as the foundation bearing the shari (vinegared rice), it continues to support sushi culture from the ground up.

The grain shape is short- to medium-grain and rounded, and when cooked, stickiness and luster stand out. This strong stickiness derives from the starch composition. Amylopectin, which produces viscosity, accounts for about 78-82%, while amylose, which works to suppress stickiness, remains at about 18-22%. Because nigirizushi requires the rice grains to bind together moderately, such sticky properties are an indispensable element.

The main cultivation regions are Japan, the Korean Peninsula, northern China and Taiwan, and it is also produced in southeastern Australia, the U.S. West Coast and Egypt. It thrives in temperate to subtropical cool climates, and a great feature is that it is more tolerant of low temperatures than indica rice.

Representative varieties include Koshihikari (named 1956) and Sasanishiki (born 1963). At the sushi artisan's worksite, the Sasanishiki line, with a somewhat higher amylose content and a lighter texture, tends to be favored, and the good grain separation that gently comes apart in the mouth is said to suit the finishing of shari.