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1
Wash the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs nearly clear. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a colander. The drained grains should feel dry to the touch on the surface; any surface water will unbalance the measured cooking liquid.
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2
Measure the total cooking liquid: 350–360 ml per 300 g rice, comprising 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, and dashi for the remainder. For wet companion ingredients — mushrooms, bamboo shoots, canned or fresh oysters — reduce the dashi portion by 20–30 ml to compensate for the moisture those ingredients will release during cooking. The liquid must smell clean and of dashi; a sharp or overly salty nose indicates over-seasoning at this stage.
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3
Combine the drained rice and the seasoned cooking liquid in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the chosen seasonal companion ingredient (except oysters — see below). For kinoko gohan, use three to five mushroom varieties distributed evenly over the rice surface. For takenoko gohan, arrange bamboo shoot slices over the rice. For kuri gohan, nestle peeled chestnuts among the grains. Do not pre-season or marinate the companion ingredients; introduced salt or soy from marinating will unpredictably alter the base seasoning during cooking.
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4
This is the step where the dish lives or dies: the liquid calculation and the sealed cook. Place the pot over medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest possible heat. Seal the lid firmly and cook undisturbed for 12–15 minutes. Do not lift the lid. At the end of the period, the sound of active bubbling will have ceased and only a faint sizzling — the beginning of steam reduction — should be audible at the pot's edge; this tells the cook that the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
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5
For oyster takikomi gohan only: after the main 12–15 minute cook, place the raw oysters directly on top of the hot rice, replace the lid, and allow them to steam for 5 minutes off direct heat. Oysters cooked from the start of the rice cook become rubbery; the residual steam of the finished rice is the correct and only medium for them.
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6
Optional okoge (crispy base) technique: after the main cook is complete but before resting, return the pot to the lowest possible heat for 2–3 minutes. A faint, dry toasty smell — not acrid — rising from the base of the pot signals that a golden crust has formed on the bottom layer without burning.
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7
Remove the pot from heat and rest, covered and undisturbed, for 10 minutes. The steam equalizes throughout the pot during this period; the flavor of the companion ingredients penetrates more deeply and evenly into each grain. The lid should feel hot and condensation-heavy when lifted — this moisture is part of the cooking.
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8
Using a shamoji (rice paddle) or wide, flat spatula, fold the contents of the pot using a cutting-and-turning motion from the bottom, distributing the companion ingredients without compressing the grains. The motion is gentle and minimal — no more than six to eight turns. Each grain should appear distinct, lightly glossed, and infused with the color of the dashi. Taste a grain from the center of the pot: flavor should be present throughout the grain, not only on its surface.
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9
For takenoko gohan: immediately before serving, smack a small cluster of kinome leaves firmly between the palms and place on each portion. The leaves must be used at once; the aromatic compounds released by the impact dissipate within minutes.