We live in the 21st century and pretty much most of the agricultural processes are done mechanically. If you live in the countryside, you are fortunate to be able to see rice planting done by humans. It's a ritual ceremony organized by a countryside shrine.
In Nikko city,
Moritomo Takino Shrine (
森友瀧尾神社) is known for having the biggest
shimenawa (注連縄) in Tochigi Prefecture. Shimenawa is made of rice straw shaped to look like two ropes tangled together. Shimenawa is supposed to keep the evil spirits away from sacred grounds.
Moritomo Takino Shrine owns rice fields where the straw for a big shimenawa comes from every year. Shimenawa is exchanged for a new one in December.
This is an entry for
Show Me Japan Vol 1, Issue 26. If you want to see nice photos taken in Japan, don't forget to visit!!!
