Cold water, plenty. First rinse fast — drain the white water within ~2 minutes so the grain doesn't absorb it.video 3-2
Then wash gently with both hands, rubbing the grains, ~3 more times (5 total). Water clearer, not clear.video 3-2
Drain in a colander 10 min (max 15 for sushi rice; longer is for steamed rice).video 3-2
Amount
Rice
ml
= 5 gō · 750 g raw rice. 1 gō ≈ 150 g (20 cups = 3.0 kg).
Cook
750 g
raw rice (5 gō)
900 ml
water — 1 cup water per cup rice. Less than steamed rice (110–120%) because vinegar is added later.video 3-2
Rice + water in the cooker, rest 10 min, then start.video 3-2
Cooker runs ~18–20 min. Then do not open: steam 25–30 min lid closed. Total ≈ 45 min from start.video 3-2
School wall chart, 20-cup batch: 3.0 kg rice, 3.6 kg water — i.e. 1.2× by weight. Cup-for-cup by volume ≈ the same thing.
Sushi vinegar
Four styles, salt / sugar / vinegar in grams for the amount above (chart is per gō: Light 4/8/25, Strong 5/10/27, Sweet 5/12/25, Edomae 5/5/27). The school teaches Light by default.video 3-3
Style
Salt g
Sugar g
Vinegar g
Light
20
40
125
general, lighter
Strong
25
50
135
more of everything
Sweet
25
60
125
holds moisture longer — takeaway, catering, family restaurants
Edomae
25
25
135
old Tokyo style, little sugar, dries fast, eat immediately
Dissolve salt and sugar in the rice vinegar with a whisk while the rice cooks.video 3-3
Conversions on the chart: 1 tsp (5 cc) = salt 5 g / sugar 3 g / vinegar 5 g. 1 tbsp (15 cc) = 16 / 9 / 15 g. 1 cup (200 cc) = 210 / 120 / 200 g.
Mix
Wet the handai (cypress tub) and the paddle before use; wipe off the standing water. Dry wood = rice sticks and turns to glue.video 3-3
Empty the cooked rice into the handai. Pour the vinegar over the paddle onto the rice.video 3-4
Tap the big chunks apart. Let the vinegar drain down through, then flip the rice.video 3-4
Push the rice to one side (right for right-handers). Take a paddle-load, flip it to the open side, then cut sideways with the wrist — separate the grains, never smash. Rotate the tub and repeat.video 3-4
Fan to cool the surface only, to about body temperature (35 °C). Hand over the rice, don't touch.video 3-4
Flip paddle by paddle, no more mixing. The underside is still hot (~40 °C).video 3-4
Move to a cooler box lined with waxy paper (absorbs excess moisture, doesn't give it back). Keep slightly above 35 °C. Use within 2 hours.video 3-4
Clean the handai with hot water and a tawashi brush only — no soap. Hang to dry.video 3-4
Tezu — hand vinegar
Vinegar : water about 3 : 7 (2 : 8 also fine). Old-school chefs used straight vinegar.video 3-5
Wet three fingertips only; the rice shouldn't touch the palm.video 3-5