Rice is a necessity for most locals, but how much do we really eat? The answer may surprise you.
According to researchers, residents eat three times the national average when it comes to rice — totaling 140 million pounds annually.
All of this rice is imported to the islands, but scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have been studying how rice can be grown right here at home.
A recent report found that high quality Japanese rice types can thrive in fields with traditional irrigation systems. This is a change from the traditional flooded paddies that may come to mind when thinking of rice farming.
During the 2025 summer season, scientists cultivated two of Japan’s premier short-grain varieties: Koshihikari and Hitomebore.
When grown in the fields of Kauaʻi, researchers found the rice yield was comparable to Toyko fields. Additionally, the crops were harvested in 97 days.
These same crops required 134 days to mature in Japan.
“This was an excellent start to the collaborative research to explore the potential of bringing back rice farming to Hawaiʻi,” said Professor Tomoaki Miura from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience.
The stable temperatures and sunshine of Hawaiʻi attributed to the heavier grains, the report said.
Researchers also said island-grown rice had a “superior whole-grain ratio and a lower protein content, a trait highly prized for creating a softer, stickier eating texture.”
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