10 Best Tried and True Japanese Rice Storage Containers in 2022 (Pearl Metal, Nitori, and More)

There are two merits to using a rice container to store your rice. 

First, it helps with keeping your rice fresh. Since air and sunlight can diminish the taste of rice, the sealing strength of your rice container can determine how delicious your rice stays. Storing your rice in a bag should be avoided since it is not tightly sealed. 

Second, it protects your rice from insects and mold. Storing it in the bag leaves your rice susceptible to humidity and could invite insects and mold. But if you use a rice container capable of keeping out humid air, you can keep your rice both insect- and mold-free.

So why choose a Japanese rice storage container? Many Japanese households eat rice several times a week, requiring both convenience as well as secure storage. This means that in addition to keeping your rice fresh, they also often feature thoughtful designs, like shapes that will seamlessly integrate with the rest of your pantry, as well as neatly fit in your refrigerator, as we mentioned earlier.

We gathered the 23 best-selling products on e-commerce sites popular in Japan like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping and tested them all.

We tested each product for the following:

• Sealing Strength
• Usability

We then ranked the 10 best Japanese rice storage containers based on our test results.

※Japanese prices have been given for some products; they've merely been converted to USD for your convenience.

We gathered the 23 best-selling products on e-commerce sites popular in Japan like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping and tested them all.

We tested each product for the following:

• Sealing Strength
• Usability

First, we tested each container for its sealing strength.

We placed a paper sheet that changed color based on the humidity of its environment inside each container and shut them all tightly. We then put the container inside a bathroom set to 80% humidity and left it there for 30 minutes.

We initially thought that whether or not the container had a gasket would be the deciding factor on how well they kept humidity out. However, it turned out that the type and shape of the lid caused a more significant difference in sealing performance.

Many flip-top lids for containers had a gasket on the lid but not on the body of the container itself, which leaves a gap for humidity to enter. 

Removable lids that come off entirely and cover the whole top of the container have fewer gaps and tend to close just as tightly if not better, even without a gasket. So, if you're planning on purchasing a rice container based on sealing strength, we recommend a product with a simple design and minimal gaps. 

Next, we tested each container for how easy it was to use.

We used the rice containers to test how easy it was to refill and scoop out rice, the lid's ability to open and close smoothly, how tightly the lid fit, portability, and any other unique product characteristics, and gave each product a comprehensive score based on these factors.

Unsurprisingly, the ease of use was determined primarily by how easy it was to refill and scoop out rice. Containers with simple designs ranked the highest. 

We actually found that products with unique features, such as those designed for measuring one portion of rice at a time or the capacity to dispense older rice before the new ones were more complicated to use and not really worth the additional functionality.

We also found out that containers that come with a measuring cup were extra convenient, especially if they have colored measurements, rather than those with transparent measurements. 

Here are four essential points to keep in mind when choosing a rice storage container to purchase. 

If you'd like to preserve your rice for longer and have it taste more delicious, choose a container with a high sealing strength. We recommend containers equipped with either a gasket or those that snap shut upon closing. 

If the freshness of your rice is your number one priority, choose one that can fit in your refrigerator. Storing your rice in the refrigerators protects it against pests and humidity. If you can get one that stores around 4.4 pounds of rice, it should be able to fit right in the pocket of the fridge door.

Rice containers come in plastic, wood, glass, or metal. We recommend a plastic one since it allows you to see what's inside and is easy to clean. Many have measurements written on the side, so you know how much rice you have left. 

That said, wooden rice containers protect well against insects and mold, and glass containers are stylish and have excellent sealing strength. Yet, since they are both heavier and less portable, you should decide on an accessible place to keep the container.  

If you're keeping your rice container out in the open, where it might be susceptible to sunlight, we recommend a metal container made of tin or enamel that can block direct sunlight. Some larger containers even come with wheels, making them portable and easier to store. 

Rice storage containers range in size from 4.4 to 66 pounds, so make sure to choose one that accords with your rice consumption rate. 

Rice usually doesn't have an expiration date written on its packages. Still, it's best to finish your rice within a month if you live in a humid environment and within two months if you live somewhere relatively dry.

It's also best to not purchase more rice than you can consume within that time frame, and make sure to buy a rice container that suits your needs. If you live alone, choose a container that holds 4.4  pounds. If you have a bigger family, then 11 pounds might be a better choice. Ultimately, this will vary on how much rice you consume, so keep that in mind too.

Some rice containers come with levers you can push to dole out a pre-measured cup's worth of rice. We recommend a container with this kind of function for those with large families or those who eat a ton of rice and don't want to spend the time measuring out cups of rice every time.

Moreover, a few of them come with refrigerating functions, which are perfect for those who'd like to preserve your rice for longer but can't or prefer not to put it in the refrigerator. 

Check out these other food preserving products to get the best out of the food you buy!

Author: Kano Ichiyama/Translation: Andrew J. Tinkler, Izumi Taneda, Mitsuki Nagasawa, Kazuma Fujiwara/Photos: Koichi Miura, Yuuki Inagaki

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more mybest recommendations! For questions or comments, leave us feedback via a Google Form on our Contact Us page.