Over time, control or guarding of the rice crop became a political function, confirming the importance of rice in society. At various times rice was an instrument of trade, functioning as hard currency. This cursory survey could be augmented by examples from numerous other aspects of Japanese life ranging from folklore, festivals, and family rituals to the arts and specific rice-based foods. Historically, all parts of the rice plant were fully utilized, with over 70 pounds of stalks being recycled into each tatami mat, bran providing a face scrub, and rice paste being used in bookbinding, as well as a resist-dye technique for fabrics, especially silk for kimonos. Rice is nourishment with numerous cultural and historical nuances that are deeply woven into the fabric of Japanese culture.
Statistics regarding Japanese household consumption of rice provide only part of the picture.
Although Food Agency surveys reveal a decline in household consumption, rice continues to be popular in such mainstays of modern life as 24-hour convenience stores and restaurant chains geared towards families. Further, throughout the almost 4,000 7-Eleven stores in Japan, fast food sales figures show rice snacks continuing to outpace bread snacks. In the post war period, rice was linked to politics as a disproportionate amount of power went to farmers, due to imbalanced populations among representative districts. It is currently estimated that some imbalances in favor of farming districts are as high as 3.68 to 1. Rice farmers have used voting power to display displeasure over recent reductions in price subsidies and proposed changes in the rice import policy.