【Reading】ひとめぼれ

【English Name】Hitomebore

Hitomebore is a rice variety (Suito Norin No. 313) bred at the Furukawa Agricultural Experiment Station in Miyagi Prefecture by crossing Koshihikari and Hatsuboshi. Learning from the serious damage of the cold weather that struck the Tohoku region in 1980, the development of a variety able to withstand low temperatures became urgent, and it was born from that demand.

The cross was begun in 1982, and after a breeding process placing good taste and high cold tolerance at the axis of selection, it reached variety registration in 1991. The variety name was chosen from among some 38,500 candidates submitted from all over the country and overturned the previous naming convention of six or fewer katakana characters.

In the great cold-weather damage that occurred in 1993 (the so-called "Heisei rice riot," in which rice distribution became a social problem), the strength of its cold tolerance was proven, and the switch from Sasanishiki to this variety advanced rapidly on a nationwide scale. As of 2022, while trailing Koshihikari (33.4%), its planted area held the nation's second position (8.5%).

In terms of characteristics, its high cold tolerance stands out, and combining strong stickiness with good taste, the point that its flavor does not decline easily even when cooled has gained acclaim. Such properties were recognized as suiting it as a rice for shari, and its adoption has spread mainly at sushi shops in the Tohoku region. Beginning with Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures, as of 2005, 22 prefectures designated it a recommended variety, and its production areas extend from Tohoku to Okinawa. It is also widely used as a cross parent of many varieties, such as Netsuboshi and Koshiibuki.