Japan Partners With Five Restaurants and A Grocery Store in Houston to Showcase Authentic Japanese Sushi This October

It may come as a shock to some Houstonians that the Buri (Yellowtail), Madai (Red Sea Bream) they’ve enjoyed at many local sushi spots for years, does not, in fact, come from Japan.

Now the Japan Rice and Rice Industry Export (JRE) and the Japan Farmed Fish Export Association (JFFEA) are partnering with five select restaurants and a grocery store across the city to show Houstonians the difference in quality, flavor, and texture of ingredients sourced directly from Japan.

The restaurants are:
~ KA Sushi | 1901 North Shepherd Suite 1 | Houston, Texas | 77008
~ Aya Sushi | 5407 Bellaire Blvd Suite A | Bellaire, Texas | 77401
~ Kira | 2800 Kirby Dr. Ste B128 | Houston, Texas | 77098
~ Izakaya Ten | 3355 Hwy 6 Suite A | Sugar Land, Texas | 77478
~ NEO | 1711 Indiana St. | Houston, Texas | 77006

All five restaurants will offer limited-time, special menus featuring Japanese rice, Buri (Yellowtail), and Madai (Red Sea Bream) from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31.

"Try and Taste! Japanese Artisanship SUSHI" will kick off with a premium discount event on Oct. 2 from 5 p.m. to 10p.m. at KA Sushi, giving customers a great opportunity to enjoy an amazing, exclusive menu of authentic Japanese sushi.

In addition, Houstonians can purchase sushi, rice, Buri and Madai at the Seiwa Market grocery store (1801 South Dairy Ashford Rd., Suite 116, Houston, Texas). Finally, a sushi tasting event will take place Oct. 4 - Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

So what is it, exactly, that sets Japanese ingredients apart from their American-farmed counterparts? There are several important characteristics which can’t be easily replicated, that Japanese have spent centuries honing.

First, there’s the rice. Japanese rice Japan has just the right combination of stickiness and sweetness, which allows it to hold its shape when mixed with vinegar for sushi. It’s produced, managed, and distributed according to strict standards and undergoes thorough checks by both machines and human inspectors to preserve the rice's flavor and safety. Japanese rice has a sweet and juicy texture, beautifully uniform grains, and can be enjoyed at any temperature. Additionally, it's a natural source of energy that's packed with vitamins and minerals, while being low in fat.

Then, there’s the fish, Buri (Yellowtail).
Japanese farmers have put significant effort into making buri farming more sustainable and environmentally friendly. With its thick, fatty flesh, buri showcases the best of Japan's fish farming techniques. The strong ocean currents and deep waters around Japan, combined with advanced farming methods, help buri grow into a firm, hearty fish with just the right amount of fat. After they’re caught, the fish are quickly and skillfully processed to prevent the meat from becoming tough. Japanese fish are exported in special refrigerated containers to maintain their freshness and quality, ensuring top-quality sushi anywhere in the world.

Madai (Red Sea Bream) is one of the indispensable ingredients in Japanese cuisine because of the umami concentrated between its flesh and skin. With its firm flesh and simple flavor, Japanese Madai is low in fat, high in protein and easy to digest.

October will be wonderful time for Houstonians, savvy diners, and sushi lovers alike to enjoy authentic Japanese ingredients, learn more about them, and share them with their friends.

For more information, please visit:
official website: https://myjapanrice.com/sushi/
official instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japanese_rice_export/

ABOUT JRE
Established by the Japanese government in 2015, Japan Rice Export (JRE) is a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness of Japanese food by promoting the export of rice and rice related products. The organization is dedicated to researching market development and conducting sales promotion activities related to importation of agricultural and food products related to rice domestically produced in Japan, as well as activities to build awareness of and disseminate Japanese food culture. JRE is an organization certified by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan for the promotion of Japanese rice and rice product exports.

ABOUT JFFEA
Established by the Japanese government in March 2022, the Japan Farmed Fish Export Association (JFFEA)'s primary objective is to promote Japanese farmed fish in global markets. Fish farmers, fishery groups, traders, and related parties constitute the association, which is supported by the Japanese government.

ABOUT JFOODO/JETRO
The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO) was established by the Japanese government in 2017 as part of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) with the aim of boosting the export of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products by branding them and promoting them widely around the world. JFOODO was named with the hope and vision of increasing awareness of Japanese Food and winning fans for it all over the world, in the same way that other Japanese cultures do. JFOODO/JETRO supports this project.