Musenmai shinseki (soaking wash-free rice)

Musenmai shinseki (soaking of wash-free rice) is a method in which polished white rice is soaked as it is, without first being washed with water. In this process, after the sugars on the surface of the rice are removed with a polishing machine, the rice-washing step is skipped. The main purpose of soaking wash-free rice is to contribute to environmental protection while reducing the water used in washing. By reducing the runoff of water that comes with washing, it lessens the impact on public water resources and is also used as part of pollution-control measures. This approach is attracting attention as an efficient and sustainable way of preparing rice.