History
A legacy of growing the finest rice in California.
We provide the finest California rice to markets across the United States and around the world, including Kokuho Rose® – prized by sushi chefs and known internationally for its outstanding table quality.
Although we’re best known for rice distribution and marketing, we do a lot more than that. We have a long history of independent rice research and innovation at our subsidiary, Rice Researchers Inc. We supply seed for proprietary rice varieties to an extensive network of growers in the Sacramento Valley. And we oversee every aspect of rice production, from planting through to harvesting, milling, and packaging.
Lineage
Nomura & Company is a family-run corporation that goes back three generations. Founded in 1946 by Tokuichi Nomura, the company began as an import/export business focusing on Asian specialty markets in the United States and elsewhere. In keeping with the family’s Japanese roots, the first product lines included sake, Kirin beer, Toshiba rice cookers and – of course – select California varieties of Japonica rice.
In 1950, in collaboration with Koda Farms in the San Joaquin Valley, Nomura introduced Koda’s Kokuho® Rice brand to the American market. Kokuho® was known from the start for its outstanding table quality, but its popularity took off in the early 1960s when Koda Farms developed Kokuho Rose®, a unique variety of Japonica rice. Classified as a “new variety,” Kokuho Rose® quickly became the standard for premium medium-grain sushi rice thanks to its tenderness, aroma, and superior taste.
San Francisco
As Nomura’s second generation took over the management of the company, the scope of the business expanded. In 1973 George Okamoto Sr. helped to establish Rice Researchers Inc. as an independent research and breeding station, and by 1986 it was a wholly-owned Nomura subsidiary. George Sr. not only led Nomura’s growth, but also became an enthusiastic supporter of the Japanese-American community in Northern California – a contribution for which he was formally honored in 2010.
Nomura Today
Under the guidance of George Jr. and Polly Okamoto, Nomura has continued its tradition of producing and marketing premium California rice in the US and abroad. Through the ongoing breeding program at Rice Researchers Inc., Nomura develops improved proprietary varieties of rice and maintains the integrity of Kokuho Rose®. Nomura’s Tsuru® Mai brand is reserved for other high-quality varieties, including premium Calrose and Koshihikari. Tsuru® Mai Brown has grown to become one of the leading brands of medium-grain brown rice on the market.