Special Natural Rice from Toyooka, Japan, The City Where the Storks Fly
Toyooka City is striving for an ecologically harmonious future where storks and people can live together.
The goal of Stork Natural Rice is to help support as many living organisms in the rice paddies as possible. The organisms in turn, help farmers by acting as natural pesticides and fertilizers of sorts.
Natural Pesticide
Organisms' activity helps to block the sunlight so small weeds can't grow. Organisms that aid in decomposition like sludge worms create fine, new layers of mud that prevent weeds from growing.
Natural Fertilizer
The wide variety of organisms provides natural fertilizer for rice as well as creating an attractive environment for storks.
The Difference
Longer water logging periods allow organisms to survive in the rice paddies for longer. Mid-season drainage is delayed by one month to allow tadpoles to turn into frogs! These frogs then eat many of the pests that are a nuisance to rice farmers.
Number of Storks in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan (As of July 2017)
In the Wild: 103
In Cage: 95
Oriental White Storks are an endangered species with only around 2,000 left in the wild.
Edible Conservation
Storks went extinct in Japan in 1971 due to agri-chemical use and deforestation but this rice is bringing them back! Part of the proceeds are donated to Stork Conservation efforts.
Mrs. Donabe's Recipe Suggestions
White rice cooking instructions
Brown rice cooking instructions
Slow Roasted Tomato Rice
Thai-style Basil Chiken Over Rice
Nao Man Gai (Chicken Over Rice)
Plain White Rice
Sweet Potato & Walnut Rice
Mochi Mugi Barley & Rice
Salmon and Ikura Sushi Rice Bowl
Chirashi Sushi with Soy-Marinated Tuna
Cherry Blossom & Tofu Skin Rice
Turmeric Rice with Mochi Mugi Barley
Clam Rice
English Peas and Hijiki Rice
Corn Rice
Pressed Smoked Salmon Sushi
Rice Balls with Three Kinds of Toppings (Summer Version)
Smoky Shoyu-Flavored Corn & Bacon Rice
Tomato Ginger Rice
Oil Sardine Rice
Mixed Mushroom Rice
Earthy Burdock Root Rice
Tuna Poke Rice Bowl
Bottarga and Matsutake Rice
Japanese Sweet Potato Rice
Pressed Sea Bream Sushi
Shrimp and Rapini Chirashi Sushi
Smokey Shoyu Corn Hijiki Rice
Ginger Hijiki Beef Rice
Shio-Kombu & Japanese Sweet Potato Rice
English Peas and Hijiki Mochi Mugi Rice
