DJ World Champion Turned Rice Farmer in Pursuit of the World’s Finest Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari

In Minami-Uonuma, Niigata — one of Japan’s most celebrated rice-growing regions — Komagata Farm has cultivated Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari for more than 240 years.

Located at the foot of the Echigo Sanzan mountains, including Mt. Hakkai, Mt. Echigo-Komagatake, and Mt. Nakano, the farm is nourished by pure snowmelt and dramatic temperature shifts that create ideal conditions for growing exceptional rice.

Hironobu Komagata, the farm’s 10th-generation rice farmer, once stood on a very different stage. Before dedicating his life to rice cultivation, he was an international DJ champion.

Today, however, his ambition is no longer music. It is to create some of the finest Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari in the world.

From Music Back to the Rice Fields

Komagata admits that, as a child, he did not like farming. "It felt old-fashioned and uncool. To be honest, I resisted it."

Perhaps because of that resistance, he immersed himself deeply in music during his university years. His passion eventually led him to win an international DJ championship, surrounded by stages, lights, and performances.

Yet despite the excitement of city life and the music industry, something never fully felt right. "I’ve always loved nature and animals. Deep down, I knew I would someday return to farming." Little by little, he began helping his father in the fields, eventually reconnecting with the land and the family farm that had been passed down for generations.

The More He Studied Rice, the More Fascinating It Became

The turning point came when Komagata discovered that there were competitions dedicated to rice cultivation and quality. That discovery reignited the same curiosity and passion he once poured into music. He repeatedly visited skilled rice farmers, studying soil composition, fertilizers, water quality, climate conditions, and even the subtle color and condition of rice leaves. Through constant observation, experimentation, and refinement, cultivating exceptional Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari became a lifelong pursuit. "Music and rice farming are surprisingly similar. The more effort and care you put into it, the more honestly the results come back to you."

His dedication eventually led to numerous prestigious awards, including:

Grand Gold Prize —
Japan’s Best Rice Contest in Shizuoka

Special Excellence Award —
International Rice Taste Analysis Competition

Excellence Award —
Minami-Uonuma Rice Competition

Excellence Award —
Culinary Kingdom 100 Selection 2022

Today, Komagata is recognized as one of Japan’s leading rice producers.

Flavor Begins with Healthy Soil

One of the things Komagata values most is soil health and fertilizer. Rather than relying heavily on chemical fertilizers, he creates his own original fertilizer using natural ingredients such as fish, crab, kelp, and rice bran, carefully fermented and aged over the course of nearly a year. "Just like people, healthy soil produces healthy rice."

He also works to minimize pesticide use while carefully maintaining the balance of microorganisms within the rice fields.

Through soil analysis and nutrient research, he studies how rice plants respond to changing conditions and learns to understand what the plants need simply by observing the leaves and their color.

His farming combines instinct, science, and years of accumulated experience.

"The More You Love It, the Better It Becomes"

Komagata believes that passion and dedication directly shape the quality of rice.

"Rice farming is like music. How deeply you care, how much frustration you experience, and how committed you are — all of that affects the final taste."

His ideal Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari is sweeter, larger in grain, and more memorable in flavor. Each year, he continues experimenting and refining his methods in pursuit of that vision.

Rather than expanding production at the expense of quality, Komagata chooses to focus only on what he can carefully oversee himself. For him, exceptional rice cannot be mass-produced — it must be cultivated with attention, patience, and intention.

That philosophy is reflected in every bowl of rice from Komagata Farm.

A Commitment to Minami-Uonuma

Komagata’s vision extends beyond his own fields. "If winning awards inspires younger farmers around me to grow better rice or challenge themselves in new ways, that would make me happy."

Although he strives to create world-class Niigata Uonuma Koshihikari, his heart remains deeply rooted in Minami-Uonuma. For more than 240 years, Komagata Farm has continued to protect and pass down its knowledge, land, and values from one generation to the next.

And today, beneath the mountains of Echigo, Hironobu Komagata continues his pursuit of the perfect grain of rice.

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