A Transparent Note on Prices
Our mission is to make the highest quality Japanese fish available to people in Washington DC — and to do it in a way that is sustainable over the long term. That mission requires honesty when costs change, so here it is plainly: we have slightly increased prices this week to absorb a higher import cost driven by two simultaneous pressures — the new US tariff structure on Japanese seafood, and exchange rate movement that has made the yen-to-dollar conversion less favorable than it was a year ago.
The increase is modest — a few dollars per item — and it reflects real cost, not margin expansion. We have absorbed what we can absorb. What remains we are passing on transparently rather than silently. Your understanding is genuinely appreciated. If you have questions about the specific tariff codes or exchange rate dynamics involved, ask at the counter — we are happy to explain the numbers in detail.
This Week's Fish
Bafun Uni in two different sizes is available this week — both small and large boxes. Reserve the size you want online before coming in. Hotaruika (Firefly Squid) is available again — already boiled at the port and ready to eat once you remove the eyeballs, which is a thirty-second task. Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna in all cuts as always.
Wine & Fish Pairing — Resuming April 28
The Wine & Fish Pairing events are returning on April 28th, featuring wines from three Japanese female winemakers whose bottles we have now imported and are carrying at Rice Market:
- Keiko et Jérôme — natural wine from Albi, France, made by a Japanese-French couple with a philosophy rooted in both Japanese natural farming and French terroir
- Six Cloves Wines — California wines by Sonoe Hirabayashi, drawing on Japanese fermentation traditions and Napa/Sonoma experience
- Shiba Wichern Cellars — Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs and whites by Akiko Shiba, trained at Geisenheim and farming regeneratively in Oregon
We will also be collaborating with @snowcraneicecream for a special dessert course — their Japanese-inspired ice creams as a palate cleanser between fish and wine courses. Tickets will be released shortly via the Rice Market Ticketleap page.
A series of additional events are also being scheduled at Rice Market's Ticketleap page — check there for the full calendar.
On tariffs and import costs: The current tariff structure affects a range of Japanese seafood at different rates. We are following the policy developments closely and will adjust pricing only when costs genuinely require it — not preemptively, and not beyond what the numbers justify. We will always tell you when a price changes and why.