And it’s all thanks to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-15s (and an Ishikawa-based vendor).

Japan’s Self-Defense Force (or JSDF) regiments are not all play and no work; they participate in regular training and drilling at bases all around Japan, and sometimes they even work together with U.S. forces. At Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa, for example, the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force often bring their planes and helicopters from Okinawa to conduct aviation training, to avoid further disturbing their Okinawan neighbors. Because of the regular flights of both U.S. and Japanese planes, the city of Komatsu is known for its noisy F-15 fighter jets.

One genius Komatsu resident had the brilliant idea of using that to his advantage, and created a product called “Jet Blast Rice”. It’s really just rice grown in the area, but marketing it as “Jet Blast Rice” makes it sound way cooler, and epitomizes the local culture, too. One Japanese netizen found it so amusing and so characteristically Komatsu-like that they had share it on Twitter, only to have it retweeted more than 50,000 times.

▼ “People in other prefectures are worried about helicopters crashing and are nervous about the Ospreys coming, but Ishikawa residents are naturally crazy enough to turn the noise of F-15 fighter jets into a business!”

According to its page on the online store, “Jet Blast Rice” was “raised near Komatsu Air Base by the noise of F-15 fighter jets”. Apparently, that’s thanks to an aggressor squadron that visited in 2016, whose F-15s really spurred on the growth of this particular rice with the roaring sounds they make as they zoom overhead. So no, it’s not just ordinary rice: it’s Jet Blast Rice!

▼ It became so popular, it earned a segment on TV!

“Jet Blast Rice” is produced by Arts Million, a company based in Komatsu that sells, primarily, T-shirts and accessories representing the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) squadrons at Komatsu Air Base. But the most charming products on their shelves are gag food items like “Self-Defense Force Curry Ramen”, which is packaged in an old-school, Showa-style design; and “Operation Fire”, which is a Russian roulette of 12 manjuu (red bean cakes), two of which are super spicy.

The shop manager, Nishi-san, seems like a guy who appreciates the funny things in life, so it’s no surprise that he would come up with something this clever. In the “About the Manager” portion of the online shop’s website, he writes:

“I’m Nishi, the shop manager. I’m the kind of person who does stretches to fix his back, but ends up making it worse. I’m a 31-year-old father of two kids. At aviation festivals, I’m the guy who’s always wearing a blue T-shirt shouting into a blue megaphone. I’m the second generation of megaphone guys. I’m looking forward to doing business with you!”

▼ It’s probably this guy.

If you find yourself in the Komatsu area, you can buy Arts Million’s rice and other snacks at stores inside the airport. You might also be lucky enough to attend a Komatsu Air Base event, where Nishi-san will have his characteristic blue t-shirt and megaphone. Maybe you’ll even have the privilege of watching a special JSDF performance! If not, you can order their merchandise online for 540 yen (U.S.$5.04). If you happen to try some of the Jet Blast Rice Rice, let us know! We’re willing to bet it tastes like victory.

Related: Arts Million Online Shop
Source: Twitter/@jprfc14 via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Twitter/@jprfc14