The name of the new premium rice from the Rice Kingdom is officially decided: Shinno-suke!

Niigata Prefecture held a "New Niigata Rice Name Announcement Event" at the Jiji Press Hall in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, on September 24. The prefecture has developed a new premium rice variety to rival Koshihikari and is preparing for its debut in autumn 2017. Governor Hirohiko Izumida, who took the stage wearing traditional Japanese attire, touched on the fierce competition in the premium rice market lately. He stated, "As the Rice Kingdom, we wanted to create a new variety beyond Koshihikari. By introducing a system to maintain a certain level of quality, we aim to cultivate it into a top brand."

Local idol group NGT48 members Minami Kato and Aya Miyajima, who are also scheduled to debut early next year, rushed to the venue to show their support. Both are also "Niigata Hometown Specialty Product PR Ambassadors."

When Governor Izumida unrolled a scroll, the characters for "Shinnosuke" appeared, announcing the new name.

The governor announced that restaurants in Niigata and Tokyo will be among the first to serve Shinno-suke from mid-October. Additionally, a prefectural PR event featuring tastings will be held at the Japan Pavilion during the ongoing Expo in Milan, Italy (October 22-23).

Mr. Kato and Mr. Miyajima, who sampled the rice, were clearly impressed by its deliciousness, describing it as "sweet with a chewy texture" and "large grains with a brilliant shine." Professor Kenichi Otsubo of Niigata University explained that Shinno-suke is a new variety with all taste elements at the top level, based on various survey results. He highlighted characteristics such as "shiny and delicious," "flakes easily yet has stickiness," and "tastes good even when cold."

Shinnosuke will initially target shipments of approximately 10,000 tons to maintain quality.

Official website: http://shinnosuke.niigata.jp