Grains ── Rice varieties
Yukiwakamaru
Yamagata's firm-grained companion to Tsuyahime
Said to have been bred as Yamagata's brand rice alongside Tsuyahime, with large grains and a firm, chewy bite said to suit donburi and fried rice. Its name evokes a young warrior of the snow country, said to carry the prefecture's expectations.
Lineage
What it's made of
Said to have large grains and a firm, chewy taste. Said to give a stronger sense of grain than Tsuyahime once cooked, it's said to suit dishes like donburi and fried rice that call for a loose, distinct bite, while its shorter stem is said to carry strong resistance to blast disease. Said to carry a rich aroma when freshly cooked, its sweetness said to build with every chew for a satisfying bite. Its grains are also said to separate easily, suiting drier dishes like fried rice. Its well-defined grain is also said to show in its appearance.
How it's made
Said to have been bred over roughly 15 years by a Yamagata rice research station, crossing 'Yamagata 80' with 'Yamagata 90'. Registered under the name 'Yamagata 112' in 2017 and given its full debut in 2018. Yamagata is said to have applied the same quality standards it set for Tsuyahime to Yukiwakamaru as well, again prioritizing quality over yield.
Why it took this shape
Said to have been marketed as Yamagata's brand rice following Tsuyahime, positioned as the 'younger brother' in a sibling pairing. It is known for consistently well-regarded eating quality. From its debut, shipments are said to have been deliberately limited to protect quality.
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: Yamagata
Promoted alongside Tsuyahime as one of the prefecture's flagship varieties.
Related lineage
- HaenukiA recommended Yamagata variety said to balance stickiness and firmness and stay tasty when cooled, bred for everyday usability rather than flashiness. Its name evokes 'born and bred here', and it's said to have long led Yamagata's planted acreage.
- TsuyahimeNamed for its glossy sheen, said to have firm grains and measured sweetness; Yamagata gave it a prefecture-wide full debut as a brand rice in 2010. Said to have repeatedly earned 'special A' ratings, with yields deliberately capped to protect quality.