Okuizumo Town's "Nita Rice" to be Awarded at the 4th All Japan SASSEN Championship Team Competition

The General Incorporated Association All Japan SASSEN Association is pleased to announce that "Nita Rice," a top-tier brand rice from Okuizumo Town, Shimane Prefecture, will be presented as an award for the team competition at the "4th All Japan SASSEN Championship" to be held on Sunday, June 14, 2026. This initiative is made possible by the participation of the SASSEN Izumo Branch as a supplier sponsor and the cooperation of Okuizumo Town, Shimane Prefecture.

4th All Japan SASSEN Championship Supplier Sponsor: SASSEN Izumo Branch; Cooperation: Okuizumo Town, Shimane Prefecture

Team Competition Award: Presentation of "Nita Rice," a Top Brand Rice in Western Japan!

Nita Rice, the supreme "rice" cultivated in the environment of Okuizumo Town, designated as a World Agricultural Heritage site, and on terraced rice fields passed down through generations, is Koshihikari rice grown in Okuizumo Town, Nita District, Shimane Prefecture. It is nurtured at the foot of the Chugoku Mountains, where pristine snowmelt water irrigates the terraced fields and the soil is enriched with fully ripened compost.

Furthermore, natural conditions such as the temperature difference between day and night create a rich sweetness and stickiness. It is sometimes referred to as "Uonuma Koshihikari in the East, Nita Rice in the West" as a producer of high-quality rice. We will present freshly milled Nita Rice, stored in its husk year-round and milled just before shipping, as the award for the team competition.

Awards

Received the highest rating of "Special A" in the "Rice Taste Ranking" by the Japan Grain Inspection Association.

Received the Gold Prize 15 times at the "Rice Taste Analysis and Appraisal Competition International Convention" hosted by the Rice Taste Appraisers Association.

Okuizumo Town: A Town of Myths, Tatara Iron Smelting, and World Agricultural Heritage

Okuizumo Town in Shimane Prefecture, nestled in the mountains of the Chugoku region, is surrounded by rich nature and is located upstream of the first-class river "Hii River."

It is the setting for the "Yamata no Orochi" (Eight-Headed Serpent) legend from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. The "Izumo no Kuni Fudoki," compiled in 733 AD, mentions in the section on Nita District that iron was produced using the ancient Japanese iron smelting method known as "Tatara smelting."

Since at least the early Edo period, the history of cutting down mountains using mining techniques called "Kanaguri" (iron sand mining using water flow) and regenerating the sand mining sites into terraced rice fields exists. The agricultural system, which developed in conjunction with rice cultivation, wagyu beef, and forestry, originating from Tatara smelting, was certified as a "World Agricultural Heritage" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in August 2025.

The agriculture, which inherits traditional water management and a circular farming system, cultivates products such as Nita Rice, Okuizumo Wagyu beef, local soba noodles, and shiitake mushrooms. Biodiversity and agricultural culture coexisting with nature thrive, offering unique terraced rice field landscapes.

Championship Overview

Championship Name 4th All Japan SASSEN Championship All Japan SASSEN Championship 2026

Date and Time Sunday, June 14, 2026 Scheduled from 10:00 to 18:00

Organizer General Incorporated Association All Japan SASSEN Association

Supplier Sponsor SASSEN Izumo Branch

Sponsorship SATSUZEN Co., Ltd.

Cooperation SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC. Nippon Convention Service, Inc.

Support Superhuman Sports Project

Venue Tunnel Tokyo 6 minutes walk from the South Exit of Osaki Station (JR and Rinkai Line) 1-1-1 Nishi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sumitomo Fudosan Osaki Garden Tower 9F

Championship Official Website https://sassen.jp/ajsc2026/

Inquiries

General Incorporated Association All Japan SASSEN Association Official Website: https://sassen.jp Championship Official Website: https://sassen.jp/ajsc2026/ Keywords: