Rice has been grown in Japan for over 2000 years and is very important to the country’s culture and identity. Interestingly it was once reserved for the samurai class. In ancient times, rice was paid as a kind of tax to the samurai and nobility, while peasants ate barley and millet. In the Edo period (1603-1868), rice cultivation was promoted by the working class and farmers began to eat rice as part of their own diet.
In Japan, rice cultivation traditionally begins at the start of the New Year. In spring, rice fields must be prepared for seedlings, and water levels must be kept high. Rice planting begins in May and June. The warm temperatures of early summer and the rainy season are ideal for rice growth. At the end of the season, the rice fields are colored the vibrant emerald green that symbolizes the season, giving them a large, strong appearance. Autumn is harvest time. Water is drained from the paddies to facilitate the rice harvest.
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