Japan’s Traditional Rice Terraces in Fukuoka Village Illuminated by 1,000 Torches

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:12 JST, June 10, 2024

FUKUOKA — About 1,000 handmade torches light up tanada terraced rice paddies in the village of Toho in Fukuoka Prefecture, as part of an event on Saturday. The village says its 400 terraced paddies, which were designated by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry as part of its Tsunagu Tanada Isan nationwide heritage project, have a history of about 400 years. The torch event was organized by a local resident committee working on the preservation of the scenic beauty of the rice terraces, and the torches were made with empty cans and lined up along the watered terraced paddies. The light reflected on the water created a magical atmosphere.