English

A company that makes agricultural machinery opened a rice-themed facility in a building near Tokyo Station on January 13th.

Explanation

「米（kome）」or “rice,” is a staple of the Japanese diet. We call cooked rice 「ごはん（gohan）」.「ごはん」is also the general word for a “meal.” So breakfast is 「朝ごはん（asa-gohan）」, lunch is 「昼ごはん（hiru-gohan）」, and dinner is 「晩ごはん（ban-gohan）」. If someone asks you 「ごはん食べた？（Gohan tabeta?）」 they’re not asking if you ate rice specifically—they’re simply asking if you’ve eaten. The new complex spotlighted in our story today is dedicated to rice. 「開く（hiraku）」 means “to open.”

English

The facility houses six shops and more.

English

One store selling rice has brand-name varieties from 26 different locations in Japan.

English

It describes their texture, grain size, and more on five-tier scales, so you can choose the rice that you like.

English

An Italian restaurant serves pasta made with rice flour and sweets made with rice shochu liquor.

Explanation

「焼酎（shoochuu）」is a type of distilled spirit made from ingredients such as rice, barley, or sweet potatoes. It has a relatively high alcohol content ranging from 20 to 45%, and is often mixed with water or hot water. In contrast, 「酒（sake）」 is brewed from fermented rice. It typically has an alcohol content of 15 or 16%.
The verb 「出す（dasu）」 is used in many situations. In the phrase 「お菓子などを出す（okashi nado o dasu）」, it refers to serving food and drink.

English

The company says, “The amount of rice we eat in Japan is decreasing, but it is a very nutritious food. We hope many people will come to this building and learn to love rice.”