Paddies, laddies.

January 30, 2007 10:00 PM

Tanada! Sure, the real shit is in Southeast Asia and China, but Japan's got a few beauties of her own. There's the fields of Yuya, the gentle slopes of Ukiha, and of course The Thousand Paddies of Chiba. It's not just an art--it's science. Want more? Listen to some of the "sounds of Japanese rice paddies, watch a slightly obnoxious slide show, or download some of these gorgeous wallpapers in a bunch of different formats. But best of all: they have calendars!
posted by odasaku (9 comments total)

excellent.

.
posted by localhuman at 10:17 PM on January 30, 2007

Exquisite! What beautiful photographs and a wonderfully created post. Thank you odasaku. That slide show is beautiful and the rice paddy sounds with crickets and frogs are charming. I love terraced fields, all over the world.
posted by nickyskye at 10:27 PM on January 30, 2007

Those terraces sooth and inspire me with the thought of all the work that went into them.
posted by Iron Rat at 11:19 PM on January 30, 2007

forget not the Cordilleras in the Philippines
posted by trinarian at 11:44 PM on January 30, 2007

Beautiful photography.

Should we be suprised that there is a countryside in Japan? Or is it the rice paddies? I was in Japan a few years ago and there was plenty of countryside and plenty of rice.
posted by Titania at 12:14 AM on January 31, 2007

Much of the terraced paddies in Bali seamlessly merge with the surrounding forests. Quite amazing there.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:03 AM on January 31, 2007

Wow, awesome post.

I have no idea why I have such an interest in rice farming, but some of my most cherished times in Japan are exploring its countryside. These photos make me want to go back.

I also like how the calenders have all the days in the month in one horizontal line. Maybe it's just me, but the layout gives a visual indication that each day is part of a much longer time-frame. Normal calendar layouts make me feel like life exists one week at a time.
posted by jsonic at 5:39 AM on January 31, 2007

What a wonderful post! Normally, I resent pages which disable right click, like the first link does. However, I can only be so irked when the error message reads: "The ban on a copy" - brilliant!

Thank you, odasaku!
posted by EatTheWeak at 7:20 AM on January 31, 2007

Yeah, I think Bali leads the world in advanced rice paddy terracing. You need that jungly palm fringe around the outside to get the full effect. A few water buffalo are also key, and a lone stoop-backed and wizened guy with a woven hat is a clincher.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 9:05 AM on January 31, 2007