There are many ways to enjoy time in the Kyoto countryside. Bamboo digging in the forest could be one of them. I like to experience all aspects of life in Japan and doing farm work helps me to achieve that in a productive and meaningful way.
This year, I had the opportunity to spend few days at a farm house with my family again. We helped around the house and one of my jobs was to prepare fire wood for a bathtub and grill. Wood splitting is not an easy job. However, I like working with wood and an axe. As a reward we could enjoy tasty grilled chicken and a hot bath tub in the evening. Next morning we went to a strawberry farm to pick and eat as many strawberries as we could. Sweet treat.
May is the rice planting season in Japan and I had to be there. I’ve done rice planting once before, so this year was much easier.
We lined up on the rice paddy behind a thread line that moved in regular intervals. Everyone was walking backwards through the rice paddy and with each step back we planted rice deep into the mud. Everything was very synchronised so we were able to finish our job in about an hour. Then, everyone headed to a picnic site in the shade of a forest nearby. Local farmers prepared all food for the picnic. It was a perfect day outdoors.
I’m looking forward to doing some work during the harvest season and who knows, maybe I will be able to take some of my own rice home.
Tom, SSE Katsura
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