Japonica rice grains are short and wide in shape, oval, waxy white, transparent or translucent in color. After cooking, the rice yield is low, sticky and oily, soft and delicious, and the rice is fragrant. According to different harvest seasons, it can be divided into early japonica rice and late japonica rice. Early japonica rice is translucent, with big white belly, less hard grains and poor rice quality. Late japonica rice is white or waxy, with small white belly, many hard grains, high oiliness and good quality. Japonica rice is sticky, soft, waxy and delicious, with rich rice flavor. Cooking and porridge are delicious.

Rice can be divided into three categories: indica rice, japonica rice and glutinous rice. The biggest difference between these three types in taste is the difference in viscosity.

Indica rice, also known as long rice and fairy rice, is made of non-waxy rice. The rice grains are slender or rectangular, with high rice yield and low viscosity after cooking. According to the harvest season of rice, it is divided into early indica rice and late indica rice. Early indica rice grains are wide and short, pink-white, big in belly, rich in powder, crisp in texture, less viscous than late indica rice, and poor in quality. Late indica rice grains are slender and slightly flat, with fine texture, generally transparent or translucent, white belly, hard grains, greater oiliness and better quality. When cooking indica rice, it is more suitable for making rice noodles, radish cakes or fried rice because of its strong water absorption and large expansion and relatively high rice yield.

The south is called "glutinous rice" and the north is called "Jiangmi". Glutinous rice is milky white, opaque or translucent, with high viscosity, which can be divided into indica rice and japonica rice. Indica rice is made of indica rice and glutinous rice, and the rice grains are generally rectangular or slender. Japonica glutinous rice is made of japonica glutinous rice, and the rice grains are generally oval. Mostly used to make sticky snacks, such as zongzi, eight-treasure rice and rice cakes.