Rice is the king of Japan. Much like corn in America, rice is not only eaten plain, but it is used in all types of products. Rice flour, starch, sake, and even rice cakes are found everywhere in Japan. Everyone owns a rice cooker, and it's common to eat rice with almost every meal.

Even though I personally don’t cook very often, I still have a good-sized bag of rice and my rice cooker ready at all times. It is a staple food that is really easy to prepare.

So it was super surprising to me when I looked at the instructions on the back of my bag of rice yesterday and realized how many words I didn’t know. As someone who barely skims the directions for recipes, it never really occurred to me to take a closer look at this product I use nearly every day.

I would like to go through the directions on the back of the package, not only for you guys to learn some useful words and phrases (and how to make delicious rice!) but for me as well.

Sorry for the bad quality images, it was really hard to get pictures of this shiny rice bag.

First of all a little vocabulary note: ご飯（ごはん） refers to cooked rice and can also be used to describe a meal in general; while 米（こめ）means uncooked rice, or the rice grain.

おいしいご飯の炊き方
おいしい　ごはん　の　たきかた
How to cook delicious rice
Literally: “delicious + rice + の + how to cook”

１．お米の分量は、正確に。
いち．おこめ　の　ぶんりょう　は、せいかく　に。
Get the correct amount of rice.
Literally: “rice + の + amount + は + accurate + に”
Note: The ending に indicates an action

お米の分量は、計量カップなどで正しく計ってください。
おこめ　の　ぶんりょう　は、　けいりょう　かっぷ　など　で　ただしく　はかって　ください。
For the amount of rice, please measure it correctly with a measuring cup, etc.
Literally: “rice + の + amount + は + measuring + cup + etc. + correctly + measure + please”

２．手早く、リズミカルに洗いましょう。
に．てばやく、りずみかる　に　あらいましょう。
2. Let’s wash it quickly and rhythmically.
Literally: “quickly + rhythmically + に + let’s wash”

たっぷりの水で、手早く４～５回かき回し、ヌカ臭さがお米につかないように、その水をサッと捨てます。
たっぷり　の　みず　で、てばやく　し　ご　かい　かきまわし、ぬか　くささ　が　おこめ　に　つかない　ように、その　みず　を　さっ　と　すてます。
With plenty of water, quickly stir 4 to 5 times; so that there is no rice bran smell, quickly throw out this water.
Literally: “plenty + の + water + で + quickly + 4-5 + times + stir up + rice bran + smell + が + rice + not attached + so that + that + water + を + quickly + throw out”

そして、３～４回水を取り替えながら、指先を回しお米を洗い、最後は水をきちんと切ってください。
そして、さん　よん　かい　みず　を　とりかえ　ながら、ゆびさき　を　まわし　おこめ　を　あらい、さいご　は　みず　を　きちんと　きって　ください。
Then, while changing the water 3 or 4 times, stir the washed rice with your fingertips, before finally draining all of the water.
Literally: “then + 3-4 + times + water + を + while changing + fingertips + を + stir + rice + を + wash + last + は + water + を + neatly + cut + please”

＊洗米後のザル上げは、割れ米等の原因となりますので、なるべくお避けください。
せんまい　ご　の　ざるあげ　は、　われこめ　など　の　げんいん　と　なります　ので、なるべく　おさけ　ください。
After washing the rice, it can break apart, so please avoid using a strainer.
Literally: “washed rice + after + の + strainer + rise + は + broken + rice + etc. + の + cause + と + become + ので +as much as possible + avoid + please”

３．おいしいご飯は、水加減が決め手。
さん．おいしい　ごはん　は、みずかげん　が　きめて。
3. As for delicious rice, the amount of water is the deciding factor.
Literally: “delicious + rice + は + amount of water + が + deciding factor”

内釜の目盛りを基準に、お好みにより増減してください。
うちがま　の　めもり　を　きじゅん　に、おこのみ　に　より　ぞうげん　して　ください。
Based on the measurements inside your rice cooker, increase or decrease the water as you like.
Literally: “rice cooker + の + measurements +を + basis + liking + according to + increase or decrease + do + please”

＊目盛りのないお鍋では、お米の容量の約１.２倍が目安です。
めもり　の　ない　おなべ　では、おこめ　の　ようりょう　の　やく　いってんに　ばい　が　めやす　です。
For pots without measurements, the standard is about 1.2 times the rice.
Literally: “measurements + の + without + pot + では + rice + の + capacity + の +about + 1.2 + twice + が + standard + です”

４．浸漬は、水にじっくり１時間程度。
よん．しんせき　は、みず　に　じっくり　いちじかん　ていど。
4. Submerge in water for 1 hour.
Literally: “submerge + は + water + に + deliberately + 1 hour + amount”

水温によって多少異なりますが、１時間程度は水に浸してから、炊飯してください。
すいおん　に　よって　たしょう　ことなります　が、いちじかん　ていど　は　みず　に　ひたして　から、すいはん　して　ください。
Although the exact time differs for different water temperatures, please soak the rice for about 1 hour before cooking it.
Literally: “water temperature + depending on + more or less + differs + が + 1 hour + amount + は + water + に + soak + から + cook rice + please”

５．仕上げは、ほぐし。
ご．しあげ　は、ほぐし。
5. Loosen the remaining.
Literally: "finish + は + loosen"

しゃもじをお釜のまわりから入れ、釜肌からはなし、底のほうから上下にご飯をつぶさないようほぐし、余分な蒸気を発散させてください。
しゃもじ　を　おかま　の　まわり　から　いれ、かまはだ　から　はなし、そこ　の　ほう　から　じょうげ　に　ごはん　を　つぶさない　よう　ほぐし、よぶん　な　じょうき　を　はっさん　させて　ください。
Inserting a rice scoop around the edge of the pot, release the rice from the bottom going up and down and, without crushing it, release the steam.
Literally: “rice scoop + を + pot + の + edge + から + enter + surface of the pot + から + release + that + の + ほう + から + up and down + に + rice + を + don’t crush + よう + loosen + extra + steam + を + emit + be done + please”

Wow. Rice bags are difficult. *_*

For more cooking action, you should look back at this lesson of Niko's:

[NDL #30] - Spicy-spicy-spicy instant Japanese curry.

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This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor: