Rice Paddy

Riding, or even walking, around Susono at this time of year is a great pleasure, with rice sprouting up in the paddies in the most unlikely places, inspiring a sense of renewal and also of continuity.

This is a close-up of a rice paddy just in front of our apartment.



I won't go into it all here, but rice has a deep significance for Japanese and their culture. Read more about rice here at Japan Guide; and, if this is even remotely interesting to you, I highly recommend the book Japanese Cooking by Emi Kazuko, which discusses the history and aesthetic of Japanese cooking and which includes some good recipes.