Luna Koshihikari Shinmai California Organic Japanese White Rice - 5lb

Newly harvested rice is celebrated in Japan for its naturally sweet flavor, fragrant aroma, and soft, springy texture that feels distinct on the palate. This is a fresh shinmai (新米) crop, harvested from the most recent season and enjoyed at its peak. It is suggested to use a 1 to 0.9 ratio of rice to water because the Shinmai crop contains more moisture due to it's freshness.

This short-grain rice is known for being one of the hardest rice varieties to grow organically – its unique shape and growing time are unfavorable to most rice farmers. Luna Koshihikari Organic Rice is paving the way to be California's premium rice by not only committing to growing rice locally but also by growing pesticide-free, milling using water-saving and energy-saving techniques, and using solar power to support their operations. This very special bag of rice is guaranteed to elevate any dish and support local and organic farmers along the way! 

This single-origin premium Koshihikari rice is grown organically in the Sacramento Valley by a fourth-generation rice farmer. Koshihikari is widely known in Japan for its sweet flavor, pillow-soft texture, and translucent moonlight white grain. Professional chefs often favor this rice for its softness—it feels like you can taste each grain. Luna Koshihikari Organic Rice is Sylvan's favorite rice at his restaurant.

Wendy Tsuji, creator of Luna Koshihikari milled by Far West Rice, says:

I was surprised to learn that less than 3% of California rice grown in the Sacramento Valley is organic. I have always been drawn to horticulture and to learning about specific food cultivars. Though Koshihikari is difficult to grow, it intrigued me that the variety originated at latitude 39 in Japan, which closely matches the latitude of the Sacramento Valley. I wanted to see if a premium organic Koshihikari could be grown locally and compete with the taste profile of the best rice from Japan—without the extreme freight costs. 

This local Luna rice travels just 171 miles from the Sacramento Valley to San Francisco, compared to roughly 5,000 miles for rice imported from Japan. Luna Koshihikari began as a proof of concept: to bring a premium organic white rice to market as shinmai (new-crop rice), a designation in Japan reserved for the freshest rice of the harvest. Despite the higher cost, I hoped restaurants would support this organic and sustainability-focused approach as part of our response to climate change. It was essential to grow organically, use less water through drill seeding, operate the mill with 85% solar energy, and keep transportation close to home to reduce fuel use. I wanted to apply my background in design and architectural sustainability to an agricultural product that could make a meaningful impact in the restaurant industry.

Grown with the environment in mind! USDA organic, fertilizer-free, and ROC certified