Sakamai (sake rice)

Sakamai (酒米) refers to rice used in the production of sake. The term covers both "sakazukuri kotekimai" (酒造好適米, sake rice), varieties especially suited to sake brewing, and "ihan ippanmai" (飯用一般米, general table rice), the kind eaten as everyday food. Because rice greatly influences the quality and flavor of sake, the type and characteristics of the rice are considered very important. Well-known sake rice varieties include Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, and Aiyama, each of which gives sake its own character in taste and aroma. Some general table rice varieties can also be used for brewing, and these are sometimes included under the term sakamai as well, but in general the word usually refers to sake rice (sakazukuri kotekimai).