This quality and its taste have earned it the top reputation among sushi chefs. Sasanishiki has a soft texture with a shine on each individual grain. When ...GlobalricevarietiesTherearethreebroadgroupsofrice:short-grain,medium-grain,andlong-grain.Short-grainriceisthemostcommonlyconsumedinJapanandismostlyJaponicarice.Medium-grainisricethatismediuminlengthsuchasCalroserice.Long-grainriceislongandthinlikericeeateninThailand,andknownasIndicarice.Ingeneral,short-grainriceisbestsuitedforsushi.Itissoftandsticky*andkeepsitsshapewhencooked.Further,ithasmoretastethemoreyouchew,andalsohasasweetnesstoit.Japan’sricecropcomesfromricepaddies.Medium-grainricesuchasCalrosericeismainlygrowninuplandanddryareasinplaceslikeAmericaandAustralia.Throughselectivebreeding,medium-grainricehasbecomeglossywhencookedandcannowbeusedforsushi.Ontheotherhand,long-grainricelikeIndicaisnotstickyenoughandcannotbeusedforsushirice.Itissuitabletobemixedwithsaucesorindisheswheretheflavorisaddedlikefriedrice.*Therearetwotypesofstarchinrice:AmyloseandAmylopectin.Amylopectiniswhatmakesricestickywhenit’sbeencooked.TheAmylopectincontentofJaponicariceishighatapproximately80%.Ontheotherhand,Indicariceislowat70%,soitislesssticky. JapanesericevarietiesCurrently,thereareabout600varietiesofriceregistereddomesticallyinJapan,andabout260varietiesareproducedasastaplefood.Ifyouconsiderjustcrops,thetop10varietiesoccupyalmost80%ofthetotalcroparea.Ofthose,Koshihikari (コシヒカリ)takesupanimpressive30%.ThenextisHitomebore (ひとめぼれ)at9.4%.AfterthatisHinohikari (ひのひかり)with8.9%.Akitakomachi (あきたこまち)is7.0%.Nanatsuboshi (ななつぼし)isat3.5%andthetop5havenotchangedforthepastfewyears.Thesevarietiesarethetypesofricethatconsumerstoeatathome. VarietiesofsushiriceOntheotherhand,theusualricetypesforsushiareSasanishiki(ササニシキ),Hatsushimo(ハツシモ),andKoshihikari(コシヒカリ).However,Sasanishikionlytakesup1/20thespacecomparedtoitspeakwhenitsharedthetop2spotswithKoshikari,andHatsushimo,whichislesscommonlyseen,hasbecomeknownasthe“riceofdreams.”Ingeneral,Koshihikar