Tokyo: this world-class metropolis is a veritable gourmet wonderland.

Discover the stories behind the Ingredients that make this city so delicious - so "oishii."

Going beyond sushi, Japanese food is loved across the globe.

And it's core ingredient?

Rice!

It's the staple of the Japanese diet.

Japan's grown it for over 3,000 years.

With a mild climate, fresh water, and passionate farmers, Japan makes some tasty rice.

Festivals are held to celebrate a bountiful harvest.

Sake is brewed for special occasions.

And delectable sweets bring us joy.

You could say rice is a pillar of Japanese culture.

And its worldwide fame is ever-growing.

Now, onigiri rice balls are a thing in Paris, the city of gastronomy!

Wonderful. This is a big recommend from me.

Hot! Hot off the press!

Japanese rice is full of surprises.

Discover the wonders of rice flour!

And see how Japanese rice pairs with global cuisine.

Wow.

There's even a type that's mostly unknown domestically.

This and more about how Japanese rice is taking the world by storm.

Trails to Oishii Tokyo.

Hi there. I'm Kyle Card.

I've lived in Japan a little over 10 years now, so it's safe to say I've gotten pretty used to Japanese cuisine.

I eat more rice on a daily basis than I would bread or potatoes like I would back home.

I mean it goes great with everything, whether it's sashimi, yakiniku - I love it all.

But because it's so common and part of daily life here, I feel that many Japanese people,

and myself, don't spend too much time thinking too deeply about it.

So today we're going to explore the secrets of the deliciousness of Japanese rice as well as its versatility and some new innovations.

Let's go.

Kyle begins at a rice shop in central Tokyo.

The owner is a certified "five-star rice master."

- Hello.
- Welcome.

Look at all the rice in here!

All rice?

That's right.

From all over the country.

How much do these weigh?

- This is about 30 kilograms.
- That much?

You look strong enough.

Too easy!

- Must be lighter than 30kg then.
- Hey!

Fukushi sells around 40 brands that he picks himself.

He does business with around a hundred sushi restaurants in Tokyo.

His knowledge of different flavors and textures has earned the loyalty and trust of discerning chefs.

Do you change varieties to meet certain requests?

For example, yukiwakamaru rice
from Yamagata is firm with large grains.

It lacks sweetness, so it goes well with
milky queen, which is sweet and sticky.

Blending them enhances sweetness and texture.

- Ah, so you blend them.
- Right. It's like blending coffee.

Let's start with yukiwakamaru.

Kyle will sample some to taste the difference.

All the rice in stock is brown before polishing.

What's the machine for?

Polishing.

Polishing off the husk and bran layers speeds up the spoiling process,

so the polishing is done in-house before the rice is given to customers.

It turned white!

Unlike wheat, rice grains are eaten mostly as-is.

So freshness is key.

Now for milky queen from Ibaraki.

Smaller grains.

Polishing turns it a nice milky color.

This is inochi-no-ichi from Gifu.

The grains are about 1.5 times
larger than milky queen's.

Pretty big!

Big and round, but with a subtle flavor.

It's soft and sticky. Very tasty.

Now for his main craft - rice blending.

Seems very precise.

The blend is seven parts yukiwakamaru and three parts milky queen - a ratio he prefers.

All using carefully selected Japanese rice.

To achieve the best flavor, basic rice cooking knowledge is key.

Level off the rice like this.

Accurate measurements are key.

Put it in the colander.

Rice needs to be rinsed several times - a colander will help get the job done faster.

The water isn't clear, but it's okay.

- A little cloudy is okay?
- Right.

It's better to rinse in under 2 minutes.

The rice starts to crack after 3 minutes.

The water amount needs to be just right.

About 1.2 times more water than rice.

- I put in too much.
- Very precise.

That'll do.

- Does that really make a difference?
- It does.

My turn!

Kyle gets to work.

Doing good.

- Look at you!
- Welcome to my shop!

Great!

Pre-soak the rice for 30 minutes to an hour to make it plump.

Switch on!

Rice cookers are a must in Japanese homes.

Let the rice sit for 15 minutes after cooking, so it's soft all the way through.

The yukiwakamaru is ready.

It turned out nice.

Now we cut it.

Cut?

The bottom is slightly softer than the top.

Gently swap the layers to even out the texture.

Like cutting cards.

Rice cookers don't have a mixing function.

Do this part yourself for better-tasting rice.

Take in the aroma first.

Kyle begins with yukiwakamaru.

- A simple aroma.
- Light.

Not too soft, not too firm.

- Could go with anything.
- It leaves room for other flavors.

Very tasty.

So easy to eat. Wow.

Next up is milky queen.

Smells a bit sweet.

It's got a slight, sweet aroma to it.

- Different, right?
- Soft!

It's so soft.

Subtle sweetness.

I imagine different things to eat with it.

Right. If you eat it with sashimi,
red tuna meat is the way to go.

I bet.

This is inochi-no-ichi.

That's a cool name.

Interesting texture.
I can feel the large grains.

The grain size is surprising.
The rice is quite sticky too.

It has a rich flavor.

Now for the main act: a blend of yukiwakamaru and milky queen.

Here we go.

That's what I've been looking for.

It's just right! Firm and sweet.

This is the one!

No one type of rice is perfect.

Blending brings the best results.

But it's a rabbit hole.

Always searching for perfection.

It'll never end.

Rice cultivation is said to have started in China's Yangtze River basin around 10,000 years ago.

Rice can be broken down into two main categories: dry indica and sticky japonica.

Indica does better in hot weather, and can be grown twice a year.

It took off mainly in India and Southeast Asia.

Indica accounts for 80% of global production.

Japonica grows in mild climates, namely northern China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan.

Over the centuries, Japan has produced a wide variety of japonica, with around 500 types existing today.

300 are for daily use and the rest are for industry.

It's no wonder Japanese rice is becoming so prominent on the global stage.

Paris, France - the gastronomy capital of the world.

Parisians love their Japanese food.

The current trend?

Onigiri!

Sold at local supermarkets, the rice balls continue to evolve in impressive ways.

Twenty-year France resident Tominaga Maki will join to tell us more.

Bon jour, Ms. Tominaga.

Bon jour.

Onigiri in French supermarkets, huh?

Seeing onigiri lined up next to sandwiches
was interesting to say the least.

I bet!

Do you buy them there?

I mostly buy them at specialty shops.

Let's take a look at one of them.

Please!

That's right, onigiri shops are popping up around Paris.

This one opened in 2018.

It's known for unique recipes using Japanese rice.

We change the fillings every week.

We do meat, fish, vegetables and chicken.

I'll try all four.

- Look at this. It's big.
- It's pretty big.

Pork belly marinated in Japanese stout.

"Itadakimasu."

"Oishii."

- It's like sweetened, stewed pork.
- Stewed pork!

This is a first for me. Very tasty.

That's a lot.

At three-and-a-half euros a pop, they're much larger than Japanese onigiri.

Very exotic flavors. Packed with
ingredients and very tasty!

It's sprinkled with shichimi, a mixture of seven spices.

- The chicken is also marinated in a shichimi-flavored sauce.
- Sounds spicy.

Sweet, hot and tangy.

Filled to the edges with juicy ingredients.

The last one has sweet potato and shiitake.

Can't imagine how it'll taste.

So orange!

It's sweet!

- The sweet potato and shiitake juices make for a great onigiri.
- The color's great.

- Never had anything like this.
- I bet you haven't.

- Flavors you may not find in Japan, but that are all the rage in Paris.
- It's pretty popular.

The shop often has customers lined up outside during lunch hours.

My favorite is the spicy onigiri with sausage.
They're all good, really. Unique flavors.

I had a great caramelized one with confit miso.

That's the one with negi and eggplant.

Look at that variety.

The shop's offered over a hundred kinds of onigiri so far.

Ratatouille.

A famous French dish in onigiri form.

Ratatouille?

This is grilled lamb with mint.

- Chicken with basil and parmesan mayonnaise sauce.
- Sounds yummy.

Owner Tom Kordova studied abroad in Japan and learned to make onigiri himself, developing a unique style of his own.

Doing it right.

But why onigiri?

I often compare them to sandwiches,
because you can make them how you want.

Whether a baguette or rice ball,
you can put in whatever you want.

I use traditional rice and seasonings.
Beyond that, anything will work.

Eggs, meat, vegetables, whatever.

Onigiri is adaptable. It transcends cultures.

Tom is on quite an onigiri high.

I think you'll understand once you taste his recipes.

- Try making some for yourself.
- Myself?

Here are some of Tom's ingredients.

You wouldn't think they were for onigiri...

Kyle will start with the one that also intrigued Tominaga - ratatouille onigiri.

Tom said cutting the veggies into
thin strips is better for onigiri, so do that.

Kyle slices and dices, and cooks the veggies in olive oil.

Oh, look at those perfectly julienned eggplants and zucchinis.

Peeled, chopped tomatoes and herbs go in.

The herbs smell wonderful.

Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, and voilà.

One centimeter, give or take.

This recipe calls for Japanese sausage.

How does this look?

- Looks great!
- Right?

Japanese dashi powder.

Soy sauce.

Mix eggs with broth, soy sauce, sugar, and Comte cheese, and cook it slowly in a pan with butter.

How am I doing?

The sausage goes in last.

Time to mold the onigiri.

Ow!

It's so hot.

French onigiri, packed with ingredients.

Enjoy the savory filling with every bite.

Oops.

Did I add too much?

Here we are.

Pretty good, eh?

Kyle tries the egg and sausage first.

I love this. Kind of sweet,
nice plump sausages, rich cheese.

Can I finish it?

I'm just gonna eat this whole thing. It's delicious, I love it.

Ratatouille onigiri.

Here we go.

Interesting.

The sweetness of the vegetables
and rice are a nice match.

It's a whole new world.

Tom is awesome.
Pass on my compliments.

Tominaga will show us another hot spot.

- The interior is really cute.
- You're right.

Opened in 2021, the shop is located near Saint-Germain-des-Pres, an historical quarter in central Paris.

It looks more like a boutique than an onigiri shop!

It's fancy!

- Look at all these onigiri.
- Like a boutique.

Like a cake shop.

Five flavors are offered each month.

Their onigiri are quite a bit smaller than Tom's.

Grilled miso is good for savoring the rice flavor.

Shiso is great marinated in sesame oil.

Beef sukiyaki offers a robust flavor.

Slightly sour yuzu and salmon go well with that.

Time to eat.

- Enjoy.
- Looks classy.

- Looks so fancy.
- Lovely! Looks yummy.

Seaweed?

First up is a grilled miso onigiri.

The rice is delicious.

- It has shiso herb inside.
- Shiso. Nice.

The sweet, salty miso and shiso aroma
enhance the sweetness of the rice.

How could that not be good?

Next up, the yuzu and salmon.

- Enjoying yourself there?
- I don't think you'll find onigiri this good in Japan.

- I could eat so many.
- You ate them all?

Your plate is empty!

Owner Gilles Oriol, who used to work for a Japanese corporation,

fell in love with Japanese rice while he lived in Japan.

After returning to France, he launched a business importing two premium varieties from Niigata.

As demand grew, he set off to compete in the onigiri market.

The two types of rice we use are
farmed naturally without pesticides.

Oyster shells and salmon that have spawned
are used as fertilizer.

- The rice is both tasty and healthy.
- Looks great.

Our products may seem expensive.

But we make quality onigiri with good Japanese rice,
and our customers understand that.

- I come for lunch every 10 days or so.
- That's a lot.

I always try the newest item on the menu.

The rice quality is totally different here.

I always get the umeboshi pickled plum.

I love umeboshi.

How much for one?

4 euros. 500 to 600 yen.

That much?

I know, but it's worth it.
Rice this good is rare in France.

But demand is likely to grow as the word spreads.

Thank you so much for your time.

Merci beaucoup and au revoir.

Merci. See you.

Globe-trotting Japanese rice.

One rice pro in southern Japan is creating buzz around Europe, especially in Germany.

Is this like some sort of cafe? Wow...

Wow. Is this like a cake shop or something? Wow.

Hello. Is this a cake shop?

Yes, cakes and wagashi.
Everything is made with rice flour.

- All rice flour?
- Right.

I see cake rolls here.
Surely they aren't made with rice flour.

- They are. All of them.
- Really?

The shop is directly run by a rice flour manufacturer.

Japan has a long tradition of grinding rice into flour.

No wheat flour is used at the shop.

Here we go.

That is amazing. Wow.

This is so nice.
Soft and spongy.

If I hadn't told you,
you'd probably think it's wheat.

Right. Don't be fooled!

Next up is a leaf pie.

Wow.

That is nice and crispy.

Sorcery. Sorcery this!

Crispy.

This led to my business opportunities in Germany.

- Is that right?
- Yes.

There was a demand for rice flour
because many people have a wheat allergy.

These were well received, so we
set up a company in Germany.

The company began as a wagashi shop over 100 years ago.

It later switched to rice flour production, refining its techniques along the way.

Here's the machine that turns rice into powder.

Amazing.

Wow.

Eighteen metal arms just crushing that rice into powder.

Pounding the same spot repeatedly
would produce a lot of friction.

That would make the end product sticky.

So it rotates throughout the grinding process.

The fineness of the powder plays a big role in how a sweet turns out.

They often blend different powders together.

This is all rice flour?

- Some 400 varieties.
- That many? How is that possible?

Well, the two main raw materials
are normal and sticky rice.

Only two?

From those, we produce different flours
suited to various kinds of wagashi.

Rice flour is responsible for all kinds of Japanese sweets.

From the same ingredients come a number of textures and flavors.

The sorcery caught on overseas, and rice flour came to be used in Western baking, even for pizza crust!

Kyle will try his hand at baking!

Let's make a cream puff.

- With rice flour?
- Yep.

He begins with the batter.

Melt butter in some water and milk.

Add rice flour and baking powder.

Then some eggs.

All you have to do is whisk.

- The rice flour does the rest?
- Right.

Rice flour doesn't clump easily.

Squeeze out a base and make
a little swirl on top.

Like that?

Okay.

You just had to fix it, huh?

Pop them in the oven, and start making the cream.

Add rice flour and cornstarch to sweetened egg yolk.

And just mix...

Add warm milk to thicken it.

Take it off the heat, strain it and add whipped cream.

Check the oven! Are they ready?

Squeeze in the cream, and you're done.

Okay.

All this in just 90 minutes.

Here we go.

Oh, look at that.

Itadakimasu.

Fluffy and crisp.

Chowing down.

Better believe it.

Why make Western sweets with rice flour?

My childhood friend has allergies,
and could never enjoy sweets with me.

So I wanted to make things
I could enjoy with everyone.

- You're very kind.
- No, no.

Unlike wheat, rice doesn't contain gluten, a protein that can cause allergies.

Seeing an opportunity here, Kojo's second son, Yoshiteru, moved to Germany.

Yoshiteru in Hamburg, Germany. Hello!

Hi. Nice to meet you.

Thank you for your time today.

How is rice flour used in Germany?

I have some examples.
Here is some German bread.

Are they made with rice flour?

- Yes, all of them.
- How cool.

Nice.

This is sourdough.
It looks much like a wheat product.

But cakes and pastries were only the beginning.

His rice flour ramen was a big hit at the 2022 food fair.

He served 250 bowls in three days.

In Japan, the rice flour we use
depends on what we're making.

That's the special thing about it.

As a top rice flour manufacturer,
we hope to introduce it to the world.

Or should I say, "danke schön"?

You're welcome.

The surging popularity of Japanese rice overseas is having an impact on domestic agriculture.

Kyle visits Ina, Nagano.

The Hase district: population 1,600.

Some of the rice grown here is only for the overseas market.

- Hello.
- Welcome. Watch your step.

It's slippery.

What a nice building.
It looks pretty new.

It was originally built 140 years ago.
We renovated it last year.

Over 100 years old?

We grow rice for export, and
we meet with guests here.

- A communications base?
- Yes.

Deguchi is from Hokkaido.

After graduating from university in Nagano, he worked in the apparel industry, with no connection to agriculture.

It all changed when he was transferred to Hong Kong.

I wasn't a fan of the rice in Hong Kong.

I wanted freshly polished rice to be as
common overseas as it is in Japan.

So I quit my job in 2009 and
opened a Japanese rice shop there.

At first, he catered mainly to Japanese expats.

Once word about tasty, polished Japanese rice got around, more and more locals started showing up.

They now have locations in six cities around the world.

Kyle connects with one of Deguchi's shops established in Singapore in 2011.

Hello, Ms. Endo in Singapore.

Hello.

Does Japanese rice suit the local cuisine?

For example, there's a local
dish called bak kut teh.

Buk kut teh?

Yeah. Our rice is perfect for that.

I see. Sounds wonderful.

Japanese rice in Singapore - Let's take a look.

Hezekiah Lim Sung - a regular customer - invited us to a lunch party.

Today we'll be cooking chicken soup, because we have a Malay and Indian friend coming over,

and we want to make sure that they can enjoy the food that we cook, given their dietary restrictions.

Nice guy.

Multicultural Singapore is home to Chinese, Malay, Indian and other ethnicities.

Hezekiah is hosting a potluck party - He'll take care of the Japanese rice, and his friends will bring the rest!

He uses a colander to rinse the rice.

Washing the rice in the colander.

In goes the water.

Doing it properly.

He pre-soaks the rice.

In Singapore, indica rice is mainstream.

But more and more people are getting into Japanese rice cooking.

Hey, guys! Long time no see.

The friends and food arrived!

Meet Azrin.

He brought a dish that's popular in Malaysia and Indonesia.

This is satay.

Should be like the Southeast Asian idea of yakitori.

Skewered meat, you know. It's got sauce...

sauce which usually has peanuts in it, you know?

Tasty and nutty.

This is Aran.

What did he bring?

Tandoori? Curry?

This is chicken curry.

It's a staple curry here in Singapore.

You go to any Indian food restaurant or Hawker Centre, you'll be able to find it.

It's very popular here. Usually, we eat it with rice or biryani, which is a form of mixed rice.

We use spices and other herbs, we mix it together, and we have it with chicken curry.

He cuts the rice after letting it sit out a while.

He's doing it!

He uses Japanese bowls too!

Doing it right.

A smorgasbord of culture.

Time to eat.

Yeah, you're right. This rice is really good.

It tastes really good with the curry.

Really glad you like it.

It goes very well with the curry.

Yeah, yeah. It really is.

Not bad, yeah.

So, how's the Japanese rice different from the Malay rice?

It's, like, a bit sticky.

But it's not bad.

It's, like, quite sweet.

Sweet?

For some reason.

Don't know, maybe it's the curry or whatever.

I think it's sticky but it's very nice.

Efforts by Deguchi and his team to produce rice for the overseas market in 2017 cleared a spot for Japan at a tasty potluck.

We're going to a great lookout point.

Oh wow.

We're a little over 1,000 meters up.

Rice grows this high up?

All of it gets sent abroad.

- All exported?
- Yeah.

What's the advantage there?

Rice consumption is down in Japan,
so there's actually a surplus.

The government urges farmers not to grow as much.

But people overseas like eating Japanese rice.
They'll eat it if we grow it for them.

So we can use our fields for the overseas market.

Changing diets and a declining birthrate have lowered rice consumption in Japan.

That means rice fields are being abandoned.

But Deguchi and his colleagues are reviving them for exported rice.

Cultivated land has expanded 25-fold in six years.

There's a lady walking down there.

She expressed gratitude for reviving
the scenery she enjoyed as a young bride.

It was heartwarming.

They farm organically in line with global standards.

They also grow a unique variety called kamiakari.

See the white part?

Kamiakari rice has three times as much
rice germ as standard rice.

So it's nutritious?

Right. We don't use fertilizers or pesticides,
which also gives it a lighter flavor.

- Only 7 farms in Japan grow it so far.
- Only 7?

- It hides behind the scenes.
- Yeah, it's elusive here.

It's actually a mutation of koshihikari rice that was discovered by accident in Shizuoka in 1998.

It's taking off overseas, where brown rice is more widespread.

In Japan, it remains largely unknown.

It's Japan's secret gift to the world.

They'll cook some for Kyle in a kamado grill they built themselves.

Why did you build this?

To eat good rice in the best way possible.

It looks good!

Sweet aroma.

Here I go!

Cut the cards, Kyle.

It's a little tricky.

Here we go.

It's sweet. It tastes like both
brown and white rice. Interesting.

Great flavor. Excellent!

It stands out from other kinds of brown rice.
That's what people like about it, I think.

Growing rice has opened their eyes to a key societal issue.

This is what's called a vanishing area,
meaning no young people.

We're facing a future where we won't
be able to farm even if we wanted to.

Revitalizing the area is key here.

In addition to agriculture, we're heading
revitalization projects under our development division.

I can't wait to see what you achieve.

- Come back to visit us.
- I will. Thank you.

In the near future, Deguchi hopes to turn this old house into a restaurant serving local game and rice dishes.

Reviving the rice fields has created jobs, bringing a whole new group of friends to town.

High-quality rice, from a small village to dinner tables around the world.

A new era of Japanese rice has begun.

I cannot begin to express my surprise and pause at the versatility and utility of Japanese rice.

The possibilities are truly boundless, and they are changing the world and its dinner tables as we speak.

I have no doubt that its globe-trotting innovations and evolutions will further inspire and influence Japan's evolution as well,

in what can be viewed as a genuine hero's journey of culinary proportions.

In Tokyo, every ingredient has its own story.