Grains ── Rice varieties
Ichihomare
Fukui's homage to Koshihikari's birthplace
Bred, it's said, by Fukui — where Koshihikari was born — to live up to that legacy; noted for large, glossy grains and pronounced sweetness. Its name is said to mean 'the greatest honor in Japan', chosen through a public naming contest.
What it's made of
Said to have a silk-like whiteness and sheen, with a gentle sweetness that spreads across the palate. It is known for consistently well-regarded eating quality. Said to carry a refined aroma when freshly cooked, each grain said to plump up fully for a satisfying result. Said to keep its grain texture even after sitting a while post-cooking. Also said to be a popular choice as a gift.
How it's made
Said to have been hand-crossed in 2007 at Fukui's agricultural experiment station, with 'Toyama 67 (Tenkomori)' as mother and 'Ikuhikari' as father, bred using DNA marker selection. Said to carry genes for heat tolerance, its variety registration was filed in April 2017. Selection is said to have tested tens of thousands of lines, narrowing them down to those combining heat tolerance with good taste.
Why it took this shape
Said to have been bred as a 'post-Koshihikari' variety by Fukui — where Koshihikari is said to have originated — aiming to live up to that legacy. Its name, said to mean 'the greatest honor in Japan', was chosen through a public naming contest, developed with the full weight of the prefecture behind it. Growers within the prefecture are said to face strict cultivation standards, with only rice meeting them allowed to carry the Ichihomare name.
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: Fukui
Said to have been bred with pride in the prefecture's role as Koshihikari's birthplace.