A note from Minori Garden

Hi! We are Minori Garden, an 8th-generation rice farm in Japan.
Our family has been growing rice on the same land for more than 250 years  since the time of samurai!

Traditionally in Japan, farms were often passed down to the eldest son, but generations ago, one boy in the family had a different dream. He loved studying and wanted to become a teacher.

School wasn’t easy to afford in those days, but his family told him, “Follow your dream.” So his older sister stepped in to carry on the farm, and he went on to become a school principal beloved by his students.

Years later, the farm faced another turning point.

By the seventh generation, there were three daughters. The eldest took over, but she was also working as a kindergarten teacher, and for a time, it looked like our rice farming might come to an end.

Then she met a man who grew up in a family of restaurateurs. He knew good food. But when he ate rice from her farm for the first time, it surprised him.

He said, “This rice is amazing. I want to grow rice that makes people this happy.”

He became the eighth-generation rice farmer, and that’s our farm today.

How the Rice Became World’s Best

When we started selling rice ourselves, people told us,
“This is the best rice I’ve ever eaten!”

That encouragement led us to make a big promise to ourselves:

"We will grow the best rice in Japan."

From then on, we entered major rice contests every year. We kept trying, again and again.
And, on our 8th attempt, we finally won a Gold Prize!

Out of more than 5,000 rice entries, our rice was chosen as:

World’s Best Rice
Winner of top gold awards
The only farmer to win 3 gold prizes in a single contest

We had the honor of meeting with Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr. Suzuki. It was an incredible experience.

We felt deeply thankful and proud.

Our farm is in Shinjo, Yamagata, a place with mountains, rivers, and lots of snow. The snow can even reach up to 2 meters high! The water here is fresh and naturally rich in minerals.

Hot days and cool nights help rice develop more sweetness and deeper flavor.

We grow our rice in using natural methods.

No chemical fertilizers
No pesticides
Rice straw and rice bran are returned to the soil

Nature helps nature.

In winter, we also let the rice experience the natural cold. This slow, gentle time in the cold helps the rice mature, bringing out a sweeter taste and a richer depth.

That’s why people often tell us,
"It tastes like fresh rice all the time!"

We believe:

Rice is a treasure of Japan
Good food makes people happy
Happy meals make a happy world

We want to protect nature for the children who come after us.
We want to share smiles through one bowl of rice.

We are a family farm in the countryside of Japan. From planting seeds to polishing and packing the rice, we do everything with care.

40 years ago, our father traveled to America to study farming. Now our rice has reached America too, and we are truly thankful.

We hope our rice brings warm, happy moments to your table.

Please enjoy this little treasure of Japan.