Gonda Shuzo in Kumagaya is banking on Sake Musashi, a local cultivar

A Saitama sake brewery embraces a little-known rice variety
Kiyoshi Gonda (left), sixth-generation sakemaker of Gonda Shuzo in Saitama Prefecture, wants to make his sake from as many local ingredients as possible
By Jessica Kozuka
Contributing writer
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Not all varieties of roundish, short-grain japonica rice are created equal.

There are about 1,000 different table rice strains of japonica grains registered with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
These are generally used for futsū-shu (standard sake) for casual consumption.

Another 100 or so are registered as shuzō kōteki-mai (ideal rice for brewing) and grown for the production of special designation sake (sake made with stricter rules)
Their larger grains contain more starch to convert to alcohol and less proteins and lipids that can produce off-flavors.

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