Here are the simple instructions on how to make perfect Japanese rice at home in a rice cooker.
For stovetop cooking method (not using a rice cooker), click here.
If you need to make Sushi Rice (seasoned with sushi vinegar seasoning) to make sushi, click here to get the recipe.
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Here are the simple instructions on how to make perfect Japanese rice at home in a rice cooker.
- 1 rice cooker cups uncooked Japanese short grain rice (1 rice cooker cups = 150 g or 180 ml, see Notes)
- 200 ml water
- Put rice in a large bowl. Rinse the rice and discard the water immediately. Rice absorbs water very quickly when you start washing, so don't let the rice absorb the unclear water. Repeat this process 1-2 times.
- Now use your fingers to gently wash the rice in a circular motion.
- Rinse and discard water. Repeat this process 3-4 times.
- Let the rice soak in water for 30 minutes and then drain completely.
- Transfer the rice into the rice cooker bowl. Add water (good water, do not use warm or hot water) to 1 cup for "White Rice" (In this case, I use 3 cups of rice, so I add water till 3 cups line.). And click to start (I use "Softer" option for our liking).
- Once the rice is done cooking, let it steam for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a rice paddle.
Rice cooker cup: This is NOT same as 1 cup (240 ml). 1 rice cooker cup is 180 ml.
- 1 rice cooker cup (150 g of rice) will make 330 gram of cooked rice, which will be about 2 bowls of rice and you can make 3 rice balls (typical Japanese rice ball size is 110 gram each).
Equipment you will need:
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
do you have instructions for making Japanese rice in a pot, without a rice cooker?
Hi Neal! I’ve been thinking about making the post, but haven’t had a chance… hopefully one day. 🙂
Are there instructions for cooking the rice on the stove
Hi Motty! I’m planning to make a post soon but haven’t had the chance to photograph step-by-step yet. Will work on it soon. Thanks for asking! 🙂
Hi Nami,
Is there a reason why you specifically said to not wash the rice in rice cooker’s bowl? My hubby loves to do this because it saves him one less bowl to wash after dinner.
Hi Dora! It’s recommended not to do that. The rice cooker bowl nowadays are very expensive and may get scratches while you are washing/handling and coating may come off. Usually rice cooker company sells the bowl for replacemenet, but it is very expensive, so it’s recommended to keep it just for cooking. Also you need to drain in a sieve, so you don’t really need the rice cooker bowl until later on. Hope that helps. 🙂
Look up Japanese Rice Washing Bowl on an online store (like Amazon) and you will find some very cheap and awesome ones in either plastic or metal that have a built in strainer on one end where you can tilt the bowl to drain. I found one of these at my local Asian market and it has been a lifesaver. I used to wash the rice in my rice cooker pot and it gradually made the numbers and lines wear off. Now that I have a new rice cooker, I will never be doing that again!
Thanks for the tip, Lion! I’ve NEVER seen this bowl (https://amzn.to/2LXHDcx) until now! Wow!!!
If you get the stainless steel one, Nami, let me know how you like it! I have one of the clear plastic ones. I love that it has little nubs and ridges along the inside of the bowl to help clean the rice, but I would certainly be interested in upgrading to the stainless steel one if it’s good!
I’m very tempted (you can imagine all the kitchen tools I have in the kitchen for just one job)!!! But at the same time I’ve been rinsing rice since I was before my age is two digit and I kind of have my own way of doing it, so it doesn’t bother me. I just wish that someone invented this a lot sooner. 😀
Dear nami,
Could you share to me, how much water ,which poured into ricecooker, is good to make rice for sushi or bento, because i watched some video, they showed that different cuisine had different quantity of water
Thank you
Hi Probo! If you’re using a Japanese rice cooker, please follow the water mark inside the rice cooker bowl. You also need to use short grain rice as that’s the “Japanese rice”. 🙂
For sushi rice (which use ONLY to make sushi), we usually keep the water amount less than the regular steamed rice because we put liquid seasonings (sushi vinegar) after rice is cooked. If you put regular amount of water, it’ll be too soggy. So we cook the rice sort of al dente.
For bento or regular steamed rice, please follow the water mark for the rice cooker. I don’t really cook other types of rice so it’s hard for me to tell the difference… I think we put more rice for short grain rice?! Please adjust the amount of water depending on the type of rice, instead of cuisine. 🙂
I dont have japanese rice cooker, if you dont mind to tell us, so please share to us the ratio between rice and water in rice cooker for making sushi rice, thank you very much, Nami.
I see. I’m not sure how to use other kinds of rice cooker. For Japanese rice cooker we follow the measurement inside the rice bowl so I never measured. I did measure for stove cook method. Maybe this may help?
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/how-to-cook-rice/
doesn’t the repeated washing remove all the vitamins?
Hi Jo, hmm I don’t think so. 🙂
Thanks for your awesome videos and recipes. I was wondering if you have any advise on how to cook the short grain rice in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. I just got the pot and tried cooking rice last night and the result was ok but not perfect. I used a 1:1 water to rice ratio, rinsed the rice, let it soak for 30 minutes, and cooked at high for 8 minutes. Unfortunately I got an overheat error and had to stop the process and release the steam before 10 minutes. I’m thinking of reducing the time to 4 minutes but still use the same prep and soak timing. What do you think?
Thanks,
Keith
Hi Kieth! I haven’t tried making rice in my instant pot simply because I’m using the instant pot to cook food, while I need rice to be cooked (so I use my rice cooker). I wish I can tell you… But if it’s for short grain rice, it should not be 1:1 ratio for rice to water…. it should be 1 : 1.1 or 1.2.
Dear Nami,
I finally decided to make this huge step and buy a zojirushi rice cooker, namely this one (for European electrical standards). http://www.yumasia.co.uk/ysq10
Since it costs a small fortune, I really don’t want to make any mistakes… So here is my question: do you think 5 1/2 cups size is big enough? How much rice do you cook per meal for your family of 4?
Thanks,
Alina
Hi Alina! If you eat Asian/Japanese food often and with rice, a rice cooker is a really good investment. Each of my zojirushi rice cooker lasts over 10 years and I change the inner pot once every few years as the coating peels on some area. To me, I can’t live without it and I almost use it everyday.
For a family of 4, 5 cups is good size. Only time that I wish I could have a bigger one is that when I host a big party (more than 10) and rice as a main dish (sushi, Japanese curry, etc). 5 cups is not enough. However, someone always have a rice cooker, so I don’t consider that’s a problem anymore. I always ask a favor to bring one more rice cooker. 🙂
Everyday I make 2 to 2.5 cups of rice. It’s for our dinner and the leftover goes to freezer (https://www.justonecookbook.com/how_to/how-to-freeze-rice/). I use those leftover for my kids’ lunch. I mentioned somewhere in the blog but the quality of rice is best to keep in freezer and reheat instead of saving in the fridge, even next day. Hope this helps!
Nami I think you could have been living away from Japan too long (: everything you say about cooking perfect Japanese rice is correct however just one point doesn’t do it. The “Now use your fingers to gently wash the rice in a circular motion” is funny because it doesn’t really matter what motion you use but it’s incorrect because as most Japanese housewives, professional cooks and your grandmother will tell you, and with much indignation, is that you need to “polish” the rice for the best results, not swish it in a circular motion. You polish the rice by taking a handful under water in the bowl and rub it gently between thumb and fingers, the friction with the other grains “polishes” clean any starch that still might be sticking too it. This is the last step in washing and must be done a few times and briskly followed by a rinse each time. Always in cold water. The rest is as you say. This is the way you get a perfect grain, plump and just ever so slightly moist and sticky.
Personally I’ve found any rice cooker will do, none enhance the flavour more than the other and none produce better results than the others, cheap or expensive. Though make sure its Japanese if you’re using Japanese rice as the water quantities differ with those made in China. Where cookers make a difference is in the longevity of the cooker bowls lining. Same as frying pans. We don’t live on rice just make it occasionally as a grain alternative to all the other grains out there. We’ve had the same cute little Japanese rice cooker for twenty years, the bowl and the cooker still work perfectly and are in mint condition. For a family of six with daily use you would need something a bit more rugged and industrial. It’s a good idea to make sure replacement pots are cheap and available, thats the only criteria besides size you will need to consider.
Hi Anton! I might be away from Japan for too long, but at least I know what I’m doing is correct.
Rice mill has improved compared to old days, so rice companies these days don’t recommend you to “rub it gently between thumb and fingers, the friction with the other grains “polishes” clean any starch that still might be sticking too it” any more. Rice these days have much less starch or nuka 糠, and they recommend to wash without “rubbing” it.
I don’t live in Japan but I go back for 2 months every year and this correct way of rinsing rice is pretty much everywhere. In fact, it’s been around for years (not like last year). What you mentioned above USED TO BE true. That’s how my mom, grandma and I did back in the days.
I quickly looked for some resource and found this video clip from JA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYD9tZvC7H0 (in Japanese but you can see the motion).
If you like to read more about it, I can look up some articles for you in Japanese too (not sure if it’s written in English).
Hope that helps!
Hi Nami! Thanks for your reply, appreciated.
I thought so (:
Well it could depend on the rice you’re using, or if it is Japanese grown and even the age of the rice. Rice thats over a year in storage will change from how it was originally milled, friction in the bag, harder grains etc. This is not the mechanical “polishing” done in machines to turn brown rice into white. In fact the younger the rice the less water you need to use as well…..so there are definitely quite a few variables here right! LOL. With young rice or new season its one to one, rice to water etc.
Anyway I made some last night and most definitely it needed “polishing”. In fact more starch (milky water) came off of it when I did than the initial quick rinses. You only have to do it three or so times and briskly. Besides removing any hardened starch clinging to the rice it also gives it an incredible texture when cooked. Plump smooth, satiny, sheen, shiny like pearls on the tongue with bite but without being al dente and just perfectly sticky. Nothing worse than rough dry burst rice on the tongue like American long grain, but it does all depend on what you are used to expecting from rice I suppose. We only started eating rice when we were stationed in Japan, coming from Germany where rice wasn’t as important as the potato.
American grown “Japanese” rice sold in America and exported worldwide like Nishiki rice is not the same.
The rice we use we still buy in Japan, all the instructions are in Japanese. LOL. We also get it from Seibu department store food court here. But as we now live in Hong Kong its difficult to get an exact translation. The Japanese don’t do English much in the super markets we use in Tokyo. But one lady who did speak English told us we don’t have to even wash the rice as it’s sold as “no need to wash” rice ha ha! So we had been doing things wrong anyway on that brand at least so I wouldn’t know if we are doing the exact right thing every time. Polishing has become habit, as it only takes a few minutes……I was initially taught that at a Japanese school in Japan by a Japanese housewife while on a cross cultural programme, five years ago already……time flies. Who knows now what rice she was using but she was adamant and absolutely delightful at the same time. So I just can’t help myself. I see her in my mind every time I open and smell a bag of rice, so polish I must.
Anyway if you get Japanese grown rice I would still “polish” in the time honoured way even if you can understand the instructions on the packet, as it does seem to make some difference, the secrete to the all lovely smooth, shiny just perfectly sticky texture of the rice.
Having said that, PS – as far as soaking the rice is concerned with digital cookers being so ubiquitous most include that step already in the cooking mode “white rice” so you don’t need to soak mostly anymore either…….This might just be Japanese cookers, though. The instructions should say if you can read them. Anyway if anyones rice grain is a bit big and soft after cooking then don’t soak and see if that is causing it.
Today is such a blissful day, ice blue skies, first good day of Spring. As its the weekend Im just going to sit in a chair under a tree with a book and listen to the cicadas and dream of Japanese blossoms.
Hi Nami,
wondering if you have tips on the different types of rice cookers.
Induction Heating vs micom fuzzy logic in the Zojirushi brand.
I am used to the traditional japanese rice cooker, but looking for a new purchase.
Thansk!
Hi Wing! I use IH Zojirushi rice cooker and like it a lot. I use it everyday so even though it’s more expensive, I think it’s worth it as it lasts pretty long time. 🙂
What is the actual time for cooking the rice, because I’m not really sure that my rice cooker works perfectly. It never gets the rice quite right.
Hi Stefania! I cook 2 cups of rice in rice cooker and it takes 50 minutes total from the time I press “cook” to the beeping sound. How about yours? What is your rice’s problem? 🙂
I’m just a little confused. Do you fill water to the sushi line, or white rice line? Your picture doesn’t look like it is either.
Hi Amanda! We only use Sushi Rice measuring when you make sushi rice (rice that we use for making sushi). Sushi rice is made with steamed rice seasoned with sushi vinegar. But in outside of Japan, people call Japanese rice “sushi rice” which could be confusing to some…
Hope this helps!
I have one question…
We have a Tiger rice cooker that we have been using for years and it will do both Japanese (Short grained white) or traditional Chinese Jasmine rice to perfection in ~12 minutes + 5 minutes sit time. I think we paid around $90 USD for it. I was looking at the higher end cookers (~$300+ USD) and the manuals say it would take ~40 minutes for the same. What is the reasoning for that?
Hi NeilVN! I have one of those “high end” rice cooker, and it takes 40 mins for regular cooking, but quick cooking mode is much shorter time (I never checked exactly how long). So you have the option of quick cooking.
I think the newer rice cooker is all about enhancing the rice. Japanese people are CRAZY about the rice. The quality of rice itself is one thing, but how the rice cooker cooks the rice is another thing. The rice cooker which makes the rice fluffy and moist, shiny, and all the stuff… wins. More expensive rice cooker also has thicker inner pot and the materials are a lot nicer, using the technology as earthenware pot cooking method. The heat distribution and everything matters… so I actually believe the rice cooker is evolving to make much better rice than before. Though, there are some rice cookers that cost over $1000 in Japan. I personally think that’s a bit too much…. 😀
Thanks for the feedback Nami,
We have been using that toaster style Tiger cooker for a while; and while it works well (once you get it down to a science) we would rather have something that beeps at us and not babysit it.
Outside of the Japanese cooking; the wife (and family) is Chinese so we cook rice in various forms every day and buy it by the 50 lb. bag. The extra features wouldn’t be wasted.
I get the “time vs quality” and probably missed the “quick mode” in the manuals I downloaded; for when you just want to “get it done now”. Just didn’t want to be paying for software 😉
Thanks for the response!
You’re welcome! Haha. I use my rice cooker everyday, and I especially love the timer setting (as I make lunchbox for my kids and it’s nice to set timer before going to sleep or dinner time so rice is already being cooked). My first rice cooker was a cheaper version of Zojirushi with inner pot was really cheap material. When I changed to current one, I definitely noticed the quality improvement of rice (even tho using the same rice). Having really good rice is important to me. 😀
My Zojirushi induction rice cooker says in the manual that I do not need to soak rice (no matter what kind), but that all I need to do is wash it and then add the right amount of water. The manual says soaking it will give “softer rice” but is optional. THIS IS NEWS TO ME. Right? Every Japanese cook I have met or read recipes from soaks Japanese rice for at least half an hour before cooking it, and this is how I teach every friend how to make Japanese rice when they don’t know how. I thought maybe this claim has something to do with the induction heating cooking the rice from all sides at once (do the non-induction models say in the manual that you can cook without soaking?), and maybe it is a “feature” of my new rice cooker, even though it is different from what I learned. So of course, I had to try it (for science).
The rice came out fine, and yes, a little firmer than I’m used to (more firm than I prefer, but definitely fully cooked). It makes me wonder, if I do not soak the rice, then use “softer” cooking setting, will I get rice that is the same as if I did soak it and used the “regular” setting? Hmmmm. Unfortunately, I only have one rice cooker, so I cannot make the rice side-by-side to compare. I feel that is the only way I would be able to tell the subtle differences exactly, but I’m sure every factor you change will result in slightly different rice. For example, to me it seems like rice is a better texture if you cook at least 1 cup. You can cook 0.5 cups in my rice cooker, which is handy for me sometimes when I just need one meal for myself, but the rice seems just slightly less luxurious in the end, or is it just my imagination? ????
I will have to do some more experiments with not soaking the rice first (and use different cooking settings) and pay very close attention to the results. I suspect that it will always be a little less good than rice that is soaked first (because Japanese cooks recommend this, and to me it makes sense that doing this will “open” up the rice texture to prepare it for cooking), but I guess it’s good news that if I’m in a hurry I can still get edible rice on the table without having to soak it first… and I haven’t even tried the “quick cook” option yet (kind of scared to, lol). The many mysteries of cooking…
Hi Lion! The recent rice cookers do include the soaking time in their programmed time (may not be ALL rice cookers), so if your rice cooker instructions say it does, you don’t have to. But I would suggest to try with your rice. Rice is quite different from one type to another, and I do adjust based on rice I get (first time is always finding out). When I don’t have time, I skip soaking time, and I even use “Quick” cooking instead of regular time. In that case, I usually add extra water (if it’s 2 cups, I would add 2.5).
My rice cooker has different functions for cooking – Regular, Softer, Harder, and I find my “regular” quite dry, so I add extra water for my rice (even new crop) and usually cook at “Softer”. So my point is that you have to figure out what is your perfect setting based on rice, water, soaking time, and cooking time (your program selection). 🙂
And it’s true that rice is best to cook more than just 1/2 cup, or even 1 cup. The reason is that there will be a lot of steam even a small amount of rice, and the surface of rice gets cooked too fast while inside won’t be cooked through. Or something like that. I do minimum 2 cups and freeze the rest if we have leftover.
Have fun experimenting! 😀
Hi Nami! Nikki J. From Idaho again.
I literally just fluffed the rice from your recipe and I think I’m in love. I’ve been experimenting with rice for the last 2 + years and have settled on your recipe. I purchased Japanese short grain rice from Amazon because while we were in Boise last, all of the Asian markets were between shipments and had nothing in stock! I have loads of medium grain and long grain rice but I wanted to try authentic Japanese short grain rice. Tamanashiki Super Premium, 15 lb bag is what I bought. Now, I have to find bigger bags!! It’s perfect. I have to admit, when I read the rice -to- water ratio, I was a bit sceptical but silly me…. “NEVER entertain scepticism when it comes to one of Nami’s recipes!” Even my husband, who hates mushy, flavorless rice (actually wouldn’t eat it at all until I started cooking East Asian cuisine), thought it came out perfect. Now, I don’t have a big, beautiful, fancy Zojirushi rice cooker, or a Tiger or any other Japanese machine, I have an Aroma BUT….. it works just fine. Although……if someone wanted to GIFT one of those beautiful cookers to me, you would NOT hear me complain!! Hahahahaha! Thank you again Nami for another fan-tabulous recipe! Keep ’em coming. ; )
Hi Nikki! Aww I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the Japanese rice! I really enjoy reading your Japanese cooking journey in Idaho! I know it’s not so easy to find ingredients without buying online, and I really appreciate that you are trying to cook Japanese food with authentic ingredients. 🙂 xo