How to Cook Japanese Rice

In Japan, the word for cooked rice — gohan — also means 'meal.' This tells you everything about the importance of rice in Japanese food culture. A Japanese meal is not built around a main dish; it is built around rice, with everything else serving as accompaniments (okazu) to make the rice more enjoyable. Cooking rice well is therefore the single most important kitchen skill in Japanese cooking. The goal is rice where each grain is distinct yet sticky enough to pick up with chopsticks, with a subtle sweetness and a clean, slightly glossy sheen. This guide will teach you to cook rice that meets that standard.

Choosing the Right Rice

Japanese cooking requires short-grain japonica rice, not the long-grain rice common in Southeast Asian and Indian cooking. Short-grain rice is rounder, stickier, and has a higher starch content that gives it the characteristic texture needed for Japanese dishes. The most widely available brands outside Japan are Koshihikari (the premium standard), Calrose (a California-grown japonica variety that works well), and Tamaki Gold. Avoid jasmine rice, basmati rice, or any 'fluffy' long-grain variety — the texture will be completely wrong for Japanese dishes.

Washing Rice: Why It Matters

Washing rice removes surface starch that would otherwise make the cooked rice gummy and sticky in a bad way. In Japanese, the process is called 'kome wo togu' — literally 'polishing rice.' This is not optional. Unwashed rice produces a noticeably inferior result.

1. 01Place the measured rice in a large bowl. Add cold water until the rice is fully submerged.
2. 02Swirl the rice gently with your hand for 10-15 seconds. The water will turn milky white.
3. 03Drain the water immediately — don't let the rice sit in starchy water, as it will reabsorb the starch.
4. 04Repeat 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear. It doesn't need to be perfectly transparent.
5. 05Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and let it rest for 15-30 minutes. This resting period allows the grains to absorb water evenly, leading to more uniform cooking.

Cooking with a Rice Cooker

A rice cooker is the standard tool in Japanese kitchens — over 95% of Japanese households own one. The process is straightforward: add washed rice, add water to the corresponding line marked inside the pot, close the lid, and press start. The rice cooker handles temperature and timing automatically. The standard water ratio is 1:1 by volume (1 cup rice to 1 cup water), but most rice cookers have water level lines that account for this. After the cooker signals completion, let the rice steam with the lid closed for 10 minutes, then fluff with a rice paddle using a cutting motion — do not stir.

Cooking on the Stovetop

If you don't have a rice cooker, a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid produces excellent results. The stovetop method actually gives you more control over the final texture.

1. 01Place washed, drained rice and water in a heavy-bottomed pot. Let it soak for 30 minutes.
2. 02Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. You'll hear it bubbling and see steam escaping.
3. 03Once boiling, reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 12-13 minutes. Do not open the lid during this time.
4. 04Turn off the heat. Let the rice steam, still covered, for 10 minutes. This resting step finishes cooking the rice and makes it fluffy.
5. 05Remove the lid. Gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork, using a cutting motion to separate the grains without mashing them.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

If your rice is too wet or mushy, you used too much water or didn't drain it well enough after washing. Reduce water by 10% next time. If the rice is too hard or has a chalky center, you didn't soak it long enough or used too little water. If the bottom is burned, your heat was too high during the simmering phase. If the rice lacks flavor, try adding a small piece of kombu to the pot before cooking — this is a traditional Japanese technique that adds subtle umami.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular long-grain rice for Japanese recipes?

No, not really. Long-grain rice (jasmine, basmati) lacks the stickiness needed for Japanese dishes. You won't be able to pick it up with chopsticks, and the texture will be wrong for sushi, onigiri, and donburi. Calrose rice, available in most supermarkets, is an affordable Japanese-style short-grain rice.

Do I really need a rice cooker?

No. A heavy pot with a tight lid works perfectly well. Many Japanese home cooks before the 1960s cooked rice on the stove daily. A rice cooker is convenient but not essential. However, if you eat rice frequently, a quality rice cooker is a worthwhile investment.

How do I store leftover cooked rice?

Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap while still warm, then freeze. Frozen rice, when microwaved, tastes remarkably close to freshly cooked. Refrigerated rice dries out and hardens — freezing is superior to refrigerating for rice storage.

What is the difference between sushi rice and regular Japanese rice?

They use the same type of short-grain rice. The difference is in the seasoning: sushi rice (sumeshi) has rice vinegar, sugar, and salt mixed in after cooking. Plain Japanese rice for everyday meals is unseasoned.