Nestled away in the mountains of Ichinoseki is Kanayama Tanada. Kanayama Tanada is a terraced rice field with 50 uniquely shaped rice fields of about 20 square meters.
Due to the small, unleveled rice fields, most of the work must be done by hand. Such terraced rice fields are rare in Japan, and from 2022, they have been selected as a nationally recognized terraced rice field heritage site. Tourists pay visit from all over the country during the period from when the rice field work begins in April until the rice is harvested in October.
Here are the many faces of the Kanayama Tanada rice fields throughout the seasons. Which face of the fields do you like?
The brown soil of the March rice fields.
The snow has just melted, and the rice fields are still empty. But little by little, changes will start to appear~
The water filled rice fields of May.
The scenery at this time of year is truly beautiful.
The glassy surface of the rice field reflect the surrounding mountains and the scenery of the land.
The rice planting is completed in June.
The way the small seedlings sway on the surface of the water is delightful.
The verdant rice fields of July and August.
Rice grows incredibly fast. The green will increasingly get thicker.
It’s hard to maintain the surrounding grass.
The gradual yellowing of September rice fields.
In October, golden rice plants cover the land, ready for harvest.
Along with the scenery prior to planting, it inspires imagery of the original landscape of Japan.
The snowy rice fields of winter.
In the world of silvery white, the faint outline of the rice fields emerges.
It’s a period for the land to store water and gather strength for the next season.
These are the various faces of the Japanese rice field.
Which do you like?
Written for The Kitakami Times, Original Japanese article/photos by Yo Sakurai,