Koshihikari is the premier variety of rice in Japan. It is short grain and chewy, and has a very short growing season. Japan produced some 3 million tons of it in 1997, as against 700,000 tons of Akitakomachi, the next runner up. Akitakomachi matures even earlier than Koshihikari, and is useful for filling out the growing season.

Nearly all Japanese rice is eaten milled, that is, as white rice. Koshihikari mills easily, so processing costs are relatively low.

The name is also sometimes written Koshikari in trade.


gn0sis adds: "Koshihikari" means "filtered light"