Golden news for the 2025 fiscal year! Harvesting of sake rice "Suisei" and first shipment of "sake rice" and "sticky rice"!

Friday, September 5, 2025

On Thursday, August 28th, the sake rice "Suisei" was harvested in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido. According to producer Yasunori Watanabe, this year's harvest was record-breakingly early, but he is hopeful for a good yield. The following day, on September 1st, the first shipments of the sake rice "Suisei" and glutinous rice "Hakucho Mochi" were made, and the town is in the midst of harvest joy.

Golden news for the 2025 fiscal year! Harvesting of sake rice "Suisei" and first shipment of sake rice and glutinous rice

Under a clear blue sky, the harvest of sake rice "Suisei" begins.

On Thursday, August 28th, the harvest of the 2025 sake rice variety "Suisei" began in the Furusaku district of Hokuryu Town!

The clear blue sky makes it seem as if the rain from the previous day was a lie. Under the clear blue sky, four combine harvesters are in full operation, harvesting the golden rice one after another in spectacular fashion.

Sake rice in Hokuryu Town is cultivated by six households and one corporation, covering an area of approximately 20 hectares. Today, two farmers, Yasunori Watanabe and Mamoru Hoshiba, harvested their sake rice variety "Suisei." The sake rice harvest was completed in a single day, combining the morning and afternoon harvests.

Sake rice "Comet" harvested

Sake rice "Comet" harvested
Sake rice "Comet" harvested

Rice ears being cut in a spectacular fashion
Rice ears being cut in a spectacular fashion
Combine harvester moving carefully
Combine harvester moving carefully
The steering is also skillful...
The steering is also skillful...
Spitting out from behind the combine...
Spitting out from behind the combine...
Harvested rice field
Harvested rice field

Harvested rice being loaded onto a transport truck

Harvested rice is loaded onto a truck for transport.
Harvested rice is loaded onto a truck for transport.

Shining golden rice

Shining golden rice
Shining golden rice

A story from producer Yasunori Watanabe

Yasunori Watanabe
Yasunori Watanabe

"The harvest in August was earlier than ever before. Normally it's between September 10th and 15th, but last year it was September 1st, and it's getting earlier every year," says Watanabe.

"If it hadn't rained, it would have been even earlier. Once this sake rice is finished, we will move on to the non-glutinous rice varieties 'Yumepirika' and 'Nanatsuboshi'. The entire rice harvest will take about two weeks. There has been a lot of rain this year, and the rice has sometimes been blown over by the wind, but overall it is about average. We are expecting a good harvest," he said with a smile.

Watanabe and his son

Watanabe and his son
Watanabe and his son

Together with the producers!

Producers and Rice Center staff
Producers and Rice Center staff

With gratitude for the power of the golden rice ears!

With gratitude for the power of the golden rice ears!
With gratitude for the power of the golden rice ears!

The joy of harvest is here! First shipment of new rice from the 2025 harvest

On Monday, September 1st, four days after the successful harvest, a ceremony was held at the agricultural product collection and shipping facility of the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch to announce the first shipment of the new rice harvested in 2025, the sake rice "Suisei" and the glutinous rice "Hakucho Mochi."

JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Agricultural Product Collection and Shipping Facility
JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Agricultural Product Collection and Shipping Facility
Rice transported in a container
Rice transported in a container

The rice is transported in containers and the quality is strictly checked by a machine that assesses the rice, and a grade is determined. This is the moment when the new rice, filled with the love of the producers, is finally set off on its journey across the country.

Inspected and numerically measured by paddy rice machine appraisal
Inspected and numerically measured by paddy rice machine appraisal
Rice being inspected
Rice being inspected
First shipment of new rice "sake rice" and "sticky rice" harvested in 2025
First shipment of new rice "sake rice" and "sticky rice" harvested in 2025
Golden ears of rice swaying in the wind
Golden ears of rice swaying in the wind

Rice plants grow strong while facing the wind and rain of Mother Nature! Filled with the love and vitality of the growers, this new rice from Hokuryu boasts the finest flavor, and we put our boundless love, gratitude, and prayers into it!

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