“Shinmai”: Enjoying Newly Harvested Rice in Autumn

According to a survey conducted in Japan by the restaurant information site Gurunavi, 82.5% of overall respondents, including those who answered “somewhat,” were looking forward to eating this year’s shinmai (newly harvested rice). The results showed that the higher the age of the respondents, the more they were looking forward to this prospect, with 89.9% of people in their sixties saying that they were.

Respondents were also asked what food they would like to eat to accompany shinmai, with multiple responses possible. The most popular was “sake (salmon)” at 46.8%, followed by other classic accompaniments like “mentaiko (spicy cod roe),” “egg,” and “nattō.”

When asked how they would choose a restaurant if they were to eat out to enjoy shinmai, the most common response was “where the food itself is delicious,” with 57.7%. The other top reasons were if the restaurant “makes the rice in an earthenware pot” (35.4%), and that they “can get additional helpings of rice” (32.2%). Looking at the type of restaurant the respondents would go to, 61.9% said “teishokuya (set meal restaurant)” and 56.2% “onigiri (rice ball) specialty shop,” a clear indication that the majority simply want to focus on the delicious taste of the rice.

The online survey, conducted nationwide in early September, was aimed at Gurunavi members and received 1,300 valid responses.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)