Suzunobu is a tiny rice shop in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, but it earns as much as JPY150 million (USD1.95m) a year, an impressive figure given many other local rice shops are reeling due to fierce price competition with major supermarket chains.

Suzunobu sells about 120 rice brands produced across the nation, including Tsuyahime from Miyagi Prefecture and Uwaba Koshihikari from Saga Prefecture.

"We are responding to a diverse range of consumer tastes," said Toyozo Nishijima, 49, who operates Suzunobu. "Even if the brand is the same, the rice tastes different each time, depending on the soil, water or air it was grown in."