Tashibunosho, Agricultural estate in Bungotakada, Japan
Tashibunosho is an agricultural estate featuring terraced rice paddies that follow the natural contours of the valley, creating curved patterns that blend seamlessly with the surrounding terrain. The fields maintain their original form and are still worked using traditional manual methods rather than modern machinery.
Tashibunosho was established in the eleventh century as one of twenty-four estates managed by the Mirokuji-Usa Jingu complex, a relationship that lasted until the sixteenth century. The shift away from temple administration marked a turning point in how the land was controlled and used.
Farmers once used the position of the sun relative to mountain peaks to determine when to plant and harvest, a practice that shaped their bond with the land for generations. This intimate knowledge of seasonal cycles remains visible in how the fields are still worked today.
The fields are best observed from the surrounding pathways, which offer clear views of the curved terraces and how they adapt to the hillside. Since these are working agricultural areas, it is respectful to stay on designated paths and avoid disturbing the farmers.
While many other estates in the region were reshaped into square plots to accommodate modern farming, this property retained its original curved field layout. This distinction makes it one of the few places where you can see how the landscape looked before standardization became the norm.
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