Subscribe to our newsletter. Although rice consumption in Japanese households is declining, rice is still popular and is a very important food in Japan. Many Shinto ceremonies and Japanese festivals involve rice growing and rice products. Japanese people believe that it's important not to waste rice. Leaving pieces of rice in a bowl or a dish is considered to be rude.
Japanese rice is medium-grain rice and is used for daily cooking.
Rice is cultivated all over in Japan. See Rice farming in Japan for the process and pictures. Japanese-style rice is also grown in California. To cook Japanese rice properly, see How To Cook Japanese Rice . A bowl of rice is included in most of Japanese meals .