Ichihomare

Here is a fact that surprises most people, even in Japan: Koshihikari -- the country's most famous rice -- was not created in Niigata. It was born in Fukui Prefecture in 1956, at the Fukui Agricultural Experiment Station. Niigata's vast Echigo Plain gave Koshihikari the stage to become a household name, but the breeding work happened on Fukui's soil. For sixty years, Fukui quietly carried that unrecognized pride. Then in 2017, the prefecture finally answered with its own flagship cultivar: Ichihomare (いちほまれ), a name meaning "the most honored, number one" -- a direct declaration of intent to reclaim the crown.

Sixty Years of Quiet Determination

Fukui's relationship with rice excellence is older than most people realize. The breeders who finalized Koshihikari worked at Fukui's experiment station, and the prefecture has maintained a continuous breeding program ever since. But in the public imagination, "Koshihikari equals Niigata" became an unshakeable association, and Fukui's rice identity was overshadowed.

Ichihomare was Fukui's answer -- not an attempt to replicate Koshihikari, but to create something that could stand alongside it as an equal or superior. The name was chosen from over 100,000 public submissions, combining "ichi" (number one) with "homare" (honor, glory). The soft hiragana spelling carries both ambition and the understated elegance that characterizes Fukui itself.

The Bloodline: Tenkomori Meets Ikuhikari

The parents are Tenkomori (mother), a Toyama Prefecture cultivar with Koshihikari-level flavor and exceptional grain appearance, and Ikuhikari (father), bred at Fukui's own experiment station with notably chewy, sticky texture. The combination was deliberate: visual beauty from one parent, textural richness from the other.

Development took approximately six years, screening over 20,000 candidate plants. Each finalist was tested across multiple locations within Fukui to verify that flavor quality remained stable regardless of local soil and water conditions. Only a line that performed consistently everywhere earned the right to carry the Ichihomare name.

Silk Mouthfeel and Expanding Sweetness

The tasting experience of Ichihomare centers on two qualities: a silky, almost liquid smoothness as the grain dissolves on the tongue, and a sweetness that starts gently and then blooms outward, filling the mouth. Stickiness is present but restrained -- less aggressive than Koshihikari's grip, more graceful. The aftertaste is clean, never heavy.

The grains are slightly larger than average, round and plump, with a luminous white surface that rivals Koshihikari's visual appeal -- and may surpass it. In official sensory tests, Ichihomare has earned "Special A" ratings since its debut, and it has been adopted by upscale restaurants in Ginza, Kyoto, and beyond, including French and creative-Japanese kitchens that value a rice capable of complementing rather than competing with complex sauces.

How to Cook and Pair It

Use water just slightly below the standard line. Soak 30-60 minutes. If your rice cooker has a "brand rice" or "premium" mode, use it. After cooking, keep the lid on for 10 minutes to steam, then fluff with minimal disturbance.

Ichihomare's refined character pairs naturally with:

• White-fish sashimi and sushi: delicate seafood and delicate rice in mutual respect
• Echizen crab and Wakasa beef: Fukui's premium local ingredients are the ideal companions
• French cuisine and creative Japanese: the clean sweetness receives sauces gracefully
• Dashimaki tamago (rolled omelette) and yudofu (hot tofu): simple preparations that let the rice's personality shine
• Plain, unadorned rice: a single bowl with nothing added is the ultimate test

Parent Versus Child

Koshihikari and Ichihomare, placed side by side, are not a case of better versus worse. Koshihikari has the assertive stickiness and concentrated sweetness of a proven champion. Ichihomare has a lighter, more modern elegance -- richer than Koshihikari in visual appeal, gentler in texture, cleaner in finish. Which you prefer is a matter of personal taste.

But the fact that the comparison can be made at all is itself a victory for Fukui. For sixty years, the prefecture watched another region claim the glory of its creation. Ichihomare is the long-awaited response -- not a grudge, but a demonstration that the land that gave birth to the king can produce a worthy heir. If you ever have the chance to taste both side by side, you will understand Fukui's quiet pride in a single bowl.