Rice Planting Begins in Quake-Hit Terraced Fields in Wajima; Volunteers Enjoy Working in Restored Paddies

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:56 JST, May 10, 2025

WAJIMA, Ishikawa — Rice planting has begun at scenic rice fields which were heavily damaged by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and heavy rainfall in 2024, in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Saturday.

On the Shiroyone Senmaida rice terraces overlooking the Sea of Japan, planting is underway at 250 of the 1,004 fields that have been restored.

On Saturday, 120 participants, including local residents and volunteers, planted rice by hand, with some losing their footing in the fields on the steep slopes.

“It was tough, but I did it and had fun,” said a 7-year-old elementary school student from Kanazawa who participated in the planting.

The earthquake on New Year’s Day in 2024 caused rifts to form in the rice terraces and damaged waterways. After restoration work had been done, further damage was caused by the torrential rain, but local residents and others repaired the fields again.

“There is a long way to go, but we want to move forward with help of many others,” said a representative of a local group that manages rice fields.