Chants and music entertain the deity of the fields and ask for a good harvest as people plant rice in a tradition known as “hayashida.” The custom has lived on for over 600 years in towns and villages throughout the valleys of western Japan. One in particular, known as Mibu no Hana Taue, was recognized by UNESCO in 2011 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Known as an event which elevates labor into an artform, it keeps local faith in the deity of the fields alive and ensures historical rice-planting techniques are not forgotten. We follow local performers and cattle farmers as they prepare for a dazzling Hana Taue that’s a cornerstone of the local calendar.

Presented by: The Japan Foundation (JF) (https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/)

＜Program Credits＞
Performers: Association for the Preservation of Mibu no Hanataue, SUGIHARA Hiroshi (Sugihara Ranch)
Additional Materials: NHK, ColBase（https://colbase.nich.go.jp/）, Bijaya Limbu
Supervision: SHINTANI Takanori
Video Image Production: NHK ENTERPRISES, INC.
Video Image Producer: HAMANO Takahiro, KAWAI Akiko
Video Image Director: INOUE Shio
Video Edit: MUTAGUCHI Keigo

＜Subtitling Credits＞
English Translation: Angela PEACHEY
Indonesian Translation: Simul International, Inc.
Thai Translation: Simul International, Inc.
Vietnamese Translation: Simul International, Inc.

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