Grains ── Rice varieties
Date Masayume
Miyagi's rich-tasting successor to Sasanishiki
Said to be Miyagi's brand rice developed as a successor since Sasanishiki, with large grains, umami and stickiness; its name nods to Date Masamune. Said to be the first Miyagi rice to earn 'special A' ratings in multiple consecutive years.
Lineage
What it's made of
A low-amylose rice said to carry strong stickiness and pronounced sweetness. It is known for consistently well-regarded eating quality. Said to carry a rich aroma when freshly cooked, its body and umami said to build with each chew for a satisfying bite. Its glossy sheen is also said to be well regarded.
How it's made
Said to have begun breeding in 2006 at Miyagi's Furukawa Agricultural Experiment Station, crossing 'Genkimaru' with 'Higashi 1126' — the same station that bred Hitomebore. Adopted as a recommended variety in 2016 and put on sale from November 2017. Said to have been bred by choosing a low-amylose parent line, aiming for a strong stickiness distinct from Koshihikari's.
Why it took this shape
Said to have been bred by Miyagi as its brand rice following on from Sasanishiki, named for 'Masayume' (a true dream come reality), a phrase attributed to Date Masamune, founding lord of the Sendai domain. Marketed under the tagline 'fulfilling Miyagi rice's dream', carrying the prefecture's hopes. Positioned within Miyagi as its top-tier brand rice, it's also said to be marketed as a gift item. Also said to be carried by department stores in Sendai.
Before You Go
- Foods to look for in autumnA guide to foods often seen in Japan around autumn — returning bonito, Pacific saury, new-crop rice, matsutake, chestnuts, and tsukimi dango — with rough pointers for finding them.
- Regional Harvest Food FestivalsAcross Japan, harvest festivals and "taste festivals" featuring local produce and seafood are said to be commonly held each autumn, with stalls selling new rice, seasonal fruit, and local dishes.
Dishes in the same style
- AkamaiAn ancient category of rice said to carry a reddish bran layer; low-yielding but tied, it's said, to Shinto harvest rituals still kept at shrines like those on Tsushima. Traces of red rice are said to have been found at Jomon- and Yayoi-era sites, making it among Japan's oldest rice lineages.
- AkitakomachiA Koshihikari cross bred for Akita's cool climate, said to carry a lighter sweetness and moderate stickiness, long favored as an everyday table rice. Named, it's said, after the legendary beauty Ono no Komachi, it ranks among Japan's most widely planted varieties.
Ingredients and dishes from this land
Known source
- Known source: Miyagi
Said to be the brand rice Miyagi released after long preparation.