Frequency of eating rice in Japan 2023

Around 93 percent of Japanese consumers ate rice on at least one meal per day, as revealed in a survey conducted in November 2023. The grains are a staple food in Japanese cuisine, with traditional food culture emphasizing the importance of two balanced meals consisting of white rice served with various side dishes a day. However, the habit of eating a full meal regularly has been declining in Japan amid busier daily routines and an increasing frequency of eating quick meals outside the home.

Food and drinks – the versatile uses of rice

Apart from its role as a dish in full meals, rice is a versatile grain found in various consumer products in Japan. While direct consumption of rice grains makes up most of the annual per capita consumption, the grains are also processed into confectionery, bakery products, condiments, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and even cosmetic products. They are often added as an ingredient to impart a sophisticated character based on traditional technology. A product segment with significant traditional meaning is sake, the national beverage of Japan. Made from polished and fermented rice grains, the clear alcohol is also used as an offering for purification rituals in ceremonial acts.

Rice market in Japan

As rice stands at the center of the Japanese diet, cultivation plays a key role in the agricultural sector. It is the most produced crop, with the short-grained Japonica rice being the main type cultivated in Japan. The country also imports a small share from overseas markets, but imports are processed into animal feed or rice flour. As such, commercially available grains for direct consumption are dominated by domestically grown crops.