Ueyama Rice Terraces, Rice terraces in Ojiro, Japan.
The Ueyama Rice Terraces consist of 39 fields arranged in curved patterns that follow the hillside contours in Hyogo Prefecture. These stepped sections work with the natural slope to manage water flow across the entire planted area.
The terraces developed between the Heian and Muromachi periods when farmers began systematically cultivating the steep slopes for rice. The layout reflects centuries of learning how to adapt farming techniques to challenging hillside conditions.
The terraces shape how the local landscape looks and reveal a long connection between farming families and the steep hillsides they have worked together. The curved patterns of the fields reflect how communities have adapted their methods to live with the mountains rather than against them.
Visit in spring during planting season or autumn harvest when the fields are most active and visually interesting. The area is accessible from larger cities by local transportation, and sturdy shoes help when exploring the sloped pathways.
Local farmers still use the Inaki method here, spreading harvested rice on wooden logs to dry in the sun. This traditional approach to grain drying is rarely seen in modern farming and gives the rice a distinctive flavor.
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