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91-Year-Old Rice Visionary Drives Innovation to Revive Japan's Staple
5 Nov
Summary
- Kinmemai Premium rice certified as world's most expensive in 2016
- Toyo Rice Corporation president Keiji Saika's mission to promote Japanese rice
- Chefs praise Kinmemai Premium's flavor and texture, but find it too costly for regular use
As of November 2025, Keiji Saika, the 91-year-old president of Toyo Rice Corporation, remains dedicated to his mission of promoting Japanese rice on the global stage. In 2016, Saika introduced Kinmemai Premium, a variety of rice that was certified by Guinness World Records as the most expensive in the world, selling for 10,800 Japanese yen (around $73.40) per box.
Saika's passion for rice stems from his childhood experiences during the food shortages in post-World War II Japan. Determined to produce better grains, he has spent decades innovating in the rice industry, developing technologies like rinse-free rice and a new milling machine. The Kinmemai Premium project, however, is his most ambitious endeavor yet.
Each year, Saika selects the top-performing rice varieties from a pool of 5,000 entries, testing for exceptional flavor, texture, and enzyme levels. The selected grains are then aged for a few months to enhance their taste and nutritional value. This painstaking process, combined with the limited supply of only 1,000 boxes produced annually, makes Kinmemai Premium an extremely exclusive and costly product.
While Michelin-starred chefs like Kenichi Fujimoto and Nansen Lai praise the exceptional quality of Kinmemai Premium, they find it too expensive for regular use in their restaurants. Fujimoto believes the rice is better suited for traditional Japanese cuisine, where it can be enjoyed on its own, rather than in sushi, where it might become too mushy when mixed with vinegar.
Saika's ultimate goal, however, is not to make a profit, but to raise the profile of Japanese rice and encourage farmers to cultivate higher-quality strains. The "World's Best Rice" project has had an unexpected effect, with rice producers taking great pride in being selected as an ingredient for the exclusive Kinmemai Premium. As Saika approaches his 92nd year, he remains determined to continue his work, driven by a passion for rice and a vision for a better future for Japan's staple crop.
