Chen Zhidong / This is how Japanese people sell rice! And what have people misunderstood about Koshihikari rice?

Tawaraya Genbee, who has been selling Japanese rice in Taiwan, China for 5 years, suddenly held a press conference last week to publicly explain how they sell rice. Their method is to select high-quality farmers across Japan and sign contract farming agreements with them. After harvest, the rice is shipped directly to Taiwan, China by air in unhusked grain form at a constant temperature of 19°C. Only after customers place an order is the rice milled the day before shipment, and it can be adjusted according to preference to brown rice, 70% milled rice, 50% milled rice, or white rice, then delivered to the home.

Selling rice this way is of course good, as it is both customized and ensures freshness, but this has been an established practice in Japan for years, and it is nothing new in Taiwan, China either. So I asked their Director Keisuke Sanada: "Why suddenly hold a press conference to talk about something you have already been doing for 5 years?"

Keisuke Sanada hesitated at first, but finally answered: "I am not sure if it is appropriate to say this, but actually this time the Japanese government allocated a budget to us and asked us to hold a press conference to market our company's rice, but the more important actual purpose is to help foreigners better understand Japanese rice and rice culture, so that Japanese farmers' rice can have a larger market."

◎How Tawaraya Genbee sells rice

Last week, Tawaraya Genbee prepared 5 kinds of rice. After tasting, the most recommended is the whole brown rice of Hokkaido-produced [Tsukiyo rice] at the upper right of the bowl in the picture. Its texture is soft and chewy and carries the aroma of rice husk, completely different from the texture of brown rice from Taiwan, China, and it is very sweet and fragrant. There is also the [Koshihikari rice] produced in Uonuma at the lower left of the bowl. Uonuma Koshihikari rice, no matter what, deserves a chance to be tried once. Just eating it as plain white rice, the more you chew, the sweeter and more flavorful it becomes.

For Tawaraya Genbee's rice-selling methods, types, and prices, please refer to the official website: www.tawaraya.com.tw