Japanese Farmers Plant Specific Strains of Rice to Grow Colorfully Illustrated Fields

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https://mymodernmet.com/japanese-rice-paddy-art/?fbclid=IwAR3CsDzSO...

By Emma Taggart on September 27, 2017

As part of a revitalization effort in the early 90s, the village of Inakadate, Japan, decided on a novel way to boost tourism in their town: large-scale rice paddy art. Now, using seven different kinds of rice as their color palette, over a thousand local volunteers come together each year to help with the planting process. Over time, the designs have evolved in complexity and now draw in hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

Every April, a conference is held to decide on the design for the next year. When the theme is set, the village officials make a basic digital mockups, which is then refined by local art teachers into intricate concept drawings. Markers are then placed, mapping out each drawing before the planting begins. This process can take up to three months.

Each 15,000-square-meter mural often celebrates local heritage and folklore, such as this year’s designs, which depict the legend of Yamata no Orochi (the eight-forked serpent) facing off against the Shinto god of sea and storms, Susanno.

This Japanese village creates world famous rice paddy art which often celebrate local folklore.

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Watch the village’s Vice Mayor, Yukio Kasai explain the process:

h/t: [Colossal, Great Big Story]

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EMMA TAGGART

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.

Read all posts from Emma Taggart