Minamiuonuma rice farmer promotes organic Koshihikari via salt rice balls

In Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture, rice farmer Tomoharu Seki is promoting the traditional flavors of Koshihikari rice through specialized ‘salt rice balls’ (shio-musubi). Seki, the second-generation leader of Seki Farm, focuses on cultivating rice using organic and reduced-pesticide methods to maintain the natural ecosystem of his fields.

In 2022, Seki opened ‘Farm Front,’ an antenna shop located amidst his rice paddies. The establishment features a menu centered exclusively on salt rice balls to highlight the quality of the grain. The rice is cooked in clay pots using local spring water and served while hot to ensure a texture that is both soft and distinctively firm.

The rice used is a rare, traditional variety of Koshihikari, hand-selected to preserve its authentic sweetness. Seki aims to eventually transition all his fields to fully organic farming, utilizing natural fertilizers derived from fermented rice bran, fish, and kelp.