Most people know that rice is the staple food of the Japanese. However, the skill of cultivating rice was brought to Japan by people from Korea about 2,400 through 2,300 years ago. According to history, Korea was in a state of war and unstable at that time. Therefore, some people emigrated to other lands and a group of people arrived on an island by ship, which is present day Kyushu Island.

The skill of rice farming was spread from the northern part of Kyushu Island throughout all of the islands. Rice can be preserved for a long time. A leader of a village started to keep large quantities of rice in storage. However, every village did not cultivate the same amount of rice because rice farming depended on the season, landscape, and weather. The amount of rice in storage was one reason why disparity in wealth existed in Yayoi culture.

Preparing polished rice and unmilled rice are basically the same. People in the Yayoi era ate unmilled rice. The way to cook the rice was by boiling and steaming. Unmilled rice is harder than the polished rice. Today Japanese people usually eat polished rice; however, the benefits of eating unpolished rice are now being recognized once again because it is effective on skin problems, high blood pressure, and many other problems. If you are interested in unmilled rice, click the rice.

Dishes other than Rice

Sources of staple foods other than rice were developed in the Yayoi era. Besides cultivating and eating rice, people also ate meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts with their rice. Some varieties of vegetables were cultivated such as the soybean, adzuki, and wheat which was introduced from China. Horses and cows were also beginning to become a popular part of Japanese culture.