The Fields 田

         In the spring there is already a crop that is nearly ripe for harvest (pictured above). Unfortunately, I do not know what crop that is. It is not corn or rice, and based on the price of flour in Japan, it's not wheat. Whatever it is, it's beautiful in the spring breeze. Some of these fields have already been harvested, and I imagine they will soon be replaced with a new summer crop. In Japan, land does not go to waste... after all, it is a limited commodity. 

       
  The pictures on the left are rice fields that are on the outskirts of every city in Japan. Unlike farmland in the US, Japan does not seem to be a clear line of distinction between residential areas and farmland. The two are intermingled in an unexpected, but visually appealing way. From the city center where I live, I am only a short 15 minute walk away form the newly planted fields.  

The fields are all flooded, as you can see, but that is not a natural occurrence. They are manually flooded and maintained. The flooded fields are placed in strategic locations - like the valley to the left.  After the patties are filled with water they are planted with small rice stalks, only a few inches tall. These baby rice plants have been carefully cultivated in flats (like new grass in America) inside green houses all winter in preparation for this spring planting. The flats are then placed on an industrial, rice planting machine, as you can see in this youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKj3jpJACno ).

On the left are the newly planted rice sprigs. On the right is a farmer caring for his fields with a industrial planter in the background. Some farmers get creative with their planting. Using different species of rice (which produce different colored heads) they plant a picture which becomes apparent as the plants grow and mature. I have not seen one of these yet (because it is too early in the season) but I am told that it is well worth seeing. This is a link to another blog that describes it in more detail with photos. Enjoy! (http://www.rense.com/general86/stun.htm)