Created by crossing Sasanishiki with Hitomebore, a rice of exceptional flavor and hardiness was born.

It took over 10 years to develop the Sasamusubi rice variety. The challenge faced by developers was creating a new rice cultivar that would retain the delicious flavor of Sasanishiki rice, which had gained a strong following among professional chefs, while also overcoming the weaknesses of the Sasanishiki rice plant, such as its susceptibility to cold weather damage and the tendency of its stalks to collapse. By crossing Sasanishiki with Hitomebore, a rice variety with a high resistance to cold temperatures, developers created Sasamusubi, a direct descendent of Sasanishiki which integrated the high quality and excellent flavor of its mother variety with the superior agronomic characteristics of its father variety.

The highest standards of quality and safety sustained by a rich natural environment.

Sasamusubi rice is produced and sold in Osaki city, Miyagi prefecture, where it thrives in a vibrant natural ecosystem. It is cultivated in rice paddies which are supported by beneficial animals and organisms, and conforms to an exacting environmental standard that reduces the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers to less than half of conventional levels. Committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety, the farmers who produce Sasamusubi carefully prepare the soil for their fields, prioritize quality over quantity, refrain from adding supplemental fertilizer, and employ other conscientious practices to produce the most delicious rice possible.

Sasamusubi Certification Standards

In order for farmers producing this new rice cultivar, officially known as “Tohoku 194,” to earn the right to use the Sasamusubi brand name, they must meet a number of stringent certification standards. By undergoing training and adhering to the following three standards designed to ensure the highest quality, producers aim for reliable and sustainable rice production which also contributes to Sustainable Development Goals.

1.Environmental Standard

To reduce the burden on the environment, the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers will be reduced to less than half of conventional levels allowed in Miyagi prefecture.

2.Taste Standard

To ensure the light flavor and mouthfeel characteristic of “Sasa” rice varieties, the protein content of the brown rice will be 6.5% or less.

3.Biodiversity Standard

To maintain a hospitable environment for living creatures, farmers will carry out biodiversity monitoring as stipulated in the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) guidelines.

A visual representation of Osaki Koudo and its culture of rice cultivation

The two grain-shaped circles in the logo design represent two distinct but interconnected concepts of circulation. One is the circulation of nature – the light, soil, water, air, and life which Osaki farmers have cherished throughout their history. The other is the circulation of wisdom – the knowledge and ingenuity these farmers have used to control flooding and manage water resources, level and cultivate the land, and develop new and improved rice varieties over the years. The rice cultivated on the Osaki Koudo plain has always been viewed as a gift from nature, and the Sasamusubi rice variety stands at the very intersection of bountiful nature and human ingenuity. The ripe ears of rice at the base of the logo design, a traditional symbol of fertility and abundance, evoke the unfailing gratitude, deep reverence, and enduring connection the people of the Tohoku region feel towards the natural world.