Japanese Rice

There are basically two types of rice: short grain and long grain.

Long Grain Rice

Long grain rice is called Indica rice as well.

This type is the dominant type of rice that is eaten in most regions of the world.

Majority of people in the US eat long grain rice.

Ben’s Original is well known for high quality long grain rice in the US.

Jasmine and Basmati are types of long grain rice too.

Long grain rice is fluffy, separated, and little drier because it has less starch than short grain rice.

Short Grain Rice

Short grain rice is known as Japonica rice.

As it is named, this type of rice is eaten in very limited areas, mainly in Japan and some parts of Korea.

Short grain rice is rounder, thicker, and harder than long grain rice.

Also, short grain rice is sticker because it contains a lot of starch.

It’s a staple in Japanese everyday meals and special cuisines, such as Sushi.

Nishiki Mai

Nishiki Mai is a premium medium grain California rice.

This medium grain rice gets the best of both worlds, short grain and long grain, and has fluffy and slightly sticky texture.

This still holds shape well for Sushi and Onigiri (rice ball).

This rice is produced by a child company of a famous Japanese soy sauce company, Kikkoman; Japan Food Corporation International Inc. (JFC)

JFC has provided Nishiki Mai in the US since the company was established in 1958.

Nishiki Mai is very well-known Japanese style rice in the US because it has long history, the price is reasonable, and it is available at majority of grocery stores.

If you want to start cooking Japanese rice as a beginner, it is recommended to start with Nishiki Mai.