It is one of the most highly grown varieties of rice in Japan[1] and is exported to other countries as a premium product.

[4] Niigata Prefecture has developed a series of Koshihikari varieties with blast disease resistance genes introduced through backcrossing, and by crossing these varieties, the Koshihikari BL group was created with dramatically improved resistance to blast disease.

[3] Niigata Prefecture began developing a group of varieties that improved Koshihikari for rice blast resistance in 1986, and registered Koshihikari Niigata BL No.

[5] Under the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act (ja), these varieties and seed names are registered as Koshihikari Niigata BL, but as milled product names they are marketed simply as Koshihikari.

1 to 6 and 9 to 13 under the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, with BL Nos.