Let’s talk a little on the cultivation of rice. Ichinoseki City has a growing number of places where visitors can experience agriculture. One such place is ‘Playfarm’, an organization that invites anyone who’d like to share in the experience of traditional rice farming. This takes place at Kanayama Terraced Rice Fields, which has a history that dates back to the Edo period. Through this experience, those involved feel more appreciative of the staple food that they consume daily. If you’d like to help with the process, visit Kanayama Tanada Play Farm. Here are some of the steps involved.

It is often said that rice requires 88 laborious steps.
This is because the kanji character for “rice” （米）contains the combination of 八十八 meaning 88. The process of rice cultivation requires a great deal of time and effort.

Starting with the rice paddy preparation in the spring, the farmer’s work of the year is condensed into the rice until it is harvested and eaten.

Rice planting in spring.
The first step in rice cultivation is tilling the soil in the rice paddies, which has hardened over the winter.
People would plow the soil by hoes or use horses and oxen, but nowadays, the soil is plowed by machine.

Along with the rice paddy preparation, seedling cultivation is also important.
If you can produce strong and fine seedlings, half of the rice production process is said to have been successful.

“Blackening” is the process of painting the edges of rice paddies to improve water retention in the paddies.
This work is also essential because the edges of rice paddies are often punctured by rodents and moles, causing water to leak out.

One week before rice planting, a process known as “shirokaki” is carried out.
Water is added to fill the rice paddies and the soil is stirred to make it muddy.
The purpose of this process is to prevent the growth of weeds and to soften the soil to make it easier to plant seedlings.

After the plowing is finished, it’s time to plant the rice.
The grown seedlings are planted in the rice paddies.
In the past, Japanese farmers planted rice by hand which was an arduous task. Fortunately, rice planting machines have made the procedure considerably easier in recent times.

Water Management
Water management in rice paddies varies depending on the growth conditions of the rice plants.
It’s been long regarded as one of the most crucial responsibilities in rice growing because it needs to be controlled according to the climate and conditions. Immediately after rice planting, paddies are kept full to help the seedlings take root, and before harvesting, water is drained to strengthen the roots of the rice plants.
Mowing and Weeding
Weeds are the natural enemy of rice. In hot, humid Japan, weeds grow quickly.
To prevent them, it is important to weed the rice paddies and mow the footpaths between rice fields.
Threshing
Threshing is the process of removing the rice from the tip of the ear.
After threshing is completed, the rice is hulled and polished, and is ready to be served as white rice for the first time. 
There are many other processes involved in rice production that are not introduced here. The rice that farmers grow with care is delicious and deserves to be savored.

In other rice news…
  In January 2024, Ichinoseki City pledged to par-take in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Farming Organic Village initiative based on the Green Food System Strategy. A plan to promote organic agriculture with high environmental conservation effects was established. Organic rice will be supplied to all elementary and junior high schools in Ichinoseki City three times in February 2024 for school lunches with a total supply of 2,300kg for 8,100 students and teachers.