KOMe

Kome is the Japanese term for rice, referring to the edible grain and, more broadly, to the rice plant itself. In everyday language, kome usually denotes uncooked rice or rice grain, while cooked rice is typically called gohan or meshi. The word is written with the kanji 米, which is also the symbol for rice in several East Asian languages.

The character 米 has both kun readings, including kome, and on readings such as bei, which appears in compounds like beikoku (米国, United States). The kanji originated as a pictograph of a rice grain and has long stood as a symbol of rice’s central role in East Asian agriculture and cuisine.

Cultivation and varieties: Rice is commonly grown in flooded paddy fields, a method developed and refined in Asia that enables high yields. Modern rice production includes many varieties, typically categorized into non-glutinous (uruchimai) for everyday eating and glutinous (mochigome) for traditional sweets and mochi. In Japan, japonica-type rice varieties, such as Koshihikari, are widely grown and prized for their flavor and texture. Global production includes major producers such as China, India, Indonesia, and parts of Southeast Asia and Japan.

Culinary and cultural use: Rice is a staple food across East Asia and is prepared primarily by steaming or boiling. It serves as the base for a wide range of dishes and is also used to produce products like sake from fermented rice. In many cultures, rice holds ceremonial and symbolic importance, reflecting its historical importance in sustenance and economy.

See also: uruchimai, mochigome, gohan, sake.