Although both of them are types of rice, compared to food rice, which is cooked and eaten at home using a rice cooker, sakamai usually has a longer stem length (height of the rice plant) and a longer ear length (length of the rice ear).
同じ米でも、家庭の炊飯器などで調理して食べる食用米に比べ稈長（稲の背丈）は高くなり、穂長（稲穂の長さ）も長いのが通例である。