Yamada Nishiki
The “king of sake rice”: Hyogo's most famous variety, behind most award-winning daiginjo.
- Bred in
- Hyogo兵庫
- Registered or found
- 1936
- Typical US price, 720 ml
- $53 median
- Bottles at Tippsy
- 220
Yamada Nishiki (山田錦) was bred in Hyogo prefecture and registered in 1936. Large grains with a big, central shinpaku make it ideal for heavy polishing, and it dissolves evenly during fermentation. It is the most-planted sake rice in Japan, and the best fields in Hyogo's Toku-A districts command top prices.
In the glass: rich yet elegant, with layered aroma, a silky texture and a long, balanced finish.
Brands that use Yamada Nishiki.
From bottles our US retail partner lists with this rice. Brands often use several rices.
Yamada Nishiki bottles you can buy in the US.
In stock at Tippsy, best-rated brands first.
Prices and bottle counts come from Tippsy's catalog on October 28, 2026. Sake 47 may earn a commission when you buy through these links. It never affects flavor data or rankings.
Other sake rice
Flavor profiles and rankings: Sakenowa (さけのわ) open data, built from drinkers' check-ins in Japan.