Letter From Yamagata
Why the Japanese are ‘drifting away’ from their most sacred grain
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Rieko Nakaba, director of the Yamagata Integrated Agricultural Research Center Paddy Rice Research Institute, examines a crop.
ST PHOTO: WALTER SIM
- Japan's rice consumption has dropped significantly since 1962 due to changing diets, demographic shifts, and rising prices caused by environmental challenges and increased foreign demand.
- Yamagata, a key rice-producing region, combines traditional farming with advanced technology like drones and robots to address labour shortages and climate change.
- Innovations include heat-tolerant rice strains, new rice-based products, and circular farming methods, aiming to sustain rice's cultural importance and economic value amidst evolving consumption patterns.
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YAMAGATA – Growing up in Singapore, I was told that every grain of rice left uneaten on my plate would leave a pockmark on my face. In Japan, children are taught to honour their bowls through a folk belief that “seven gods” reside in every grain. Leftovers show disrespect for the natural elements and human labour that went into the crop.
Rice has long been the cultural spine and soul of many Asian societies.
