>Rice is rice. Coming from a long line of rice farmers...I can assure you that this is really not the case. Rice has HUGE variations between various rice culti

>Rice is rice. Coming from a long line of rice farmers...I can assure you that this is really not the case. Rice has HUGE variations between various rice cultivars, and HUGE variations in the end result depending on how the grains are polished. Environmental factors and cultivation/growing methods also influence the taste and nutritional profile of the grain. A lot of people, particularly in the West, just simply aren't aware of these differences because they've historically never had access to much other than regular milled white rice. You're also overlooking the fact that Japan's farmers grow nearly every sort of vegetable and fruit produce imaginable.