Shimizu Mokuzai of Kiso manufactures and sells sushi-okes (wooden containers for sushi), ohitsus(wooden containers for rice) and Hinoki baths.

志水木材産業株式会社 志水木材 SHIMIZU MOKUZAI志水木材産業株式会社 志水木材 SHIMIZU MOKUZAI

Weekdays 8:00am – 5:30pm

Manufacture and sale of Ohitsu
(wooden container for rice)

We have the following types of ohitsu:
Edo Ohitsu (overarching ohitsu) and Nose-Futa Ohitsu (handled lid ohitsu).
Edo Oitsu is a type of Ohitsu with an overarching lid.
Nose-Futa is a type of Ohitsu where a lid with two handles is placed on top.
Please choose your preferred style.

Ohitsu to make rice delicious

Ohitsu to make rice delicious

Full-sized, shiny rice in an “Ohitsu” is a sight to behold. Don’t miss out on a single day when you can eat rice.
This will undoubtedly make your rice look and taste more delicious.
When you put freshly cooked rice into an ohitsu and leave it in for a while with the lid on, as soon as you take off the lid, you can take in an amazing fragrance which words cannot describe.
And the rice is shiny and full-size.
The traditional wooden ohitsu will let out only the appropriate amount of moisture contained in the freshly cooked rice.
cause it gets rid of the excessive heat and controls the amount of moisture in the rice, you will end up with plump batch of rice with a soft and natural sweetness.
cause it gets rid of the excessive heat and controls the amount of moisture in the rice, you will end up with plump batch of rice with a soft and natural sweetness.
Our ohitsu is thick and durable, and is a product that can be used for a long time.

  • Thick and sturdy build

    Thick and sturdy build

  • Carefully selected material, using only the heartwood (the red part) of Kiso Sawara which is highly resistant to water and durable.

    Carefully selected material,
    using only the heartwood
    (the red part) of Kiso Sawara
    which is highly resistant to
    water and durable.

    Carefully selected material, using only the heartwood (the red part) of Kiso Sawara which is highly resistant to water and durable.
  • A leveled smooth bark by an artisan

    A leveled smooth bark
    by an artisan

Recommended ohitsu

Edo ohitsu (ohitsu with an overarching lid)

*1-go=about 150g
*1-son=about 3.03cm

Nose-futa ohitsu

How to use ohitsu

One the rice has been cooked, transfer it to the ohitsu as it is.Just by putting the cooked rice in the ohitsu and its deliciousness can be preserved.When cooked rice is stored in a rice cooker, the surface may become dry and the rice become hard after half a day has passed. However, an ohitsu adjusts the moisture of the whole batch of rice, so it can preserve the moisture of the rice deliciously for around half a day.
Once you’ve finished using the ohitsu, using a sponge, wash it off with water (cool or lukewarm).If possible, we recommended rinsing it off with hot water afterwards. Dry it off in a shaded, well-ventilated area.
※ Take care not to leave it face down, allowing the open-end to face upward.

How to use ohitsu

Why rice out of
an ohitsu is delicious

The traditional wooden ohitsu absorbs the excess moisture in the rice while it’s warm, and supplements the rice with moisture so as to not allow it to dry.There is a reason for the "wood" that is used to make ohitsus.The wood used for the sushi okes and ohitsus is called "straight grain wood", where the grains of the wood are lined up parallel to each other and run in a single direction.This straight grain wood absorbs and releases moisture evenly, not allowing it to escape while absorbing the moisture from rice that is put in the ohitsu.A wooden ohitsu made of straight grain wood adjusts moisture to keep it to a level.

  • When putting hot rice

    When putting hot rice

    Because the ohitsu absorbs the excess moisture,rice put in gets steamed moderately and it will be delicious!

  • When putting chilled rice

    When putting chilled rice

    Because ohitsu releases moisture,rice won’t get hard even if it cools down!

Of course, rice preserved in an ohitsu will gradually cool down.
However, even after cooling down, it will release, little by little, the moisture which the wood absorbed while the rice was warm, preserving the moisture content of the rice, keeping it delicious.One could certainly keep the rice cooked overnight in an ohitsu, and have it tasting good until the next morning.We further recommended using it for Bento, as its ability to preserve the rice’s taste pales in comparison to a rice cooker.If the surrounding environment is good, you may be able to keep your rice good for about 2 to 3 days.
Rice with the slight fragrance of wood is delicious even when it has cooled down.Once someone tastes rice out of an ohitsu, it leaves a lasting, unforgettable impression.

Saving and economy
by using an ohitsu

preservation by using an ohitsu Energysaving

Take for example 4.5-go (about 675 grams) of cooked rice,
cooked in the morning using an IH rice cooker: Approximate electricity cost if kept until dinner will be about 8 ~ 9 yen.
4.5-go (about 675 grams) of cooked rice, cooked in the morning using an IH rice cooker, if kept in an ohitsu until dinner and warmed in a microwave before eating: Approximate electricity cost will be about 4~ 5 yen.
It is possible to save around half of the electricity cost just by using an ohitsu.
Furthermore, if you use an ohitsu on a daily basis, you can save energy without wasting electricity, helping to save energy and contributing to CO2 reduction.It is an excellent tool for the environment, the wallet and the individual.

Contact

We sell sushi okes, Handai, Hangiri, okes, wood baths, and other manufactured wooden products.
Please feel free to contact us about any repairs or any other concerns.