Higairyu (damaged rice grains)

Higairyu (被害粒) refers to rice grains of inferior quality among the rice used as the raw material for sake. They include sprouted grains, grains damaged by disease or insects, deformed grains with abnormal shapes, grains with cracked centers (known as domware, or "belly cracks"), broken grains, and discolored brown grains (known as chamai, or "tea rice"). Because these damaged grains lower the quality of the sake, sorting and removing them is important in brewing. Removing damaged grains contributes to better quality when making good sake.