Reducing nitrogen fertilizer and increasing planting density in rice fields can improve nitrogen use efficiency without affecting yield. A study compared dense planting with reduced nitrogen (DPRN) to sparse planting with high nitrogen (SPHN) in hybrid and conventional rice. DPRN reduced the proportion of nitrogen from fertilizer by 1.8–13%, with a higher decrease in late-season rice. DPRN increased nitrogen uptake efficiency by 7.7–21.9% and accumulated nitrogen and translocated ratio before heading by 6.1–10.8% and 2.0–9.6% compared to SPHN. Yield remained stable under both treatments. This shows that DPRN can maintain yield while enhancing nitrogen use efficiency and translocated nitrogen in double-cropped rice.