The most interesting Japan-related story in the news lately is that for over five years, farmers in a rural town called Inakadate have been making beautiful art by growing red rice in with their regular rice in special patterns. This year, the farmers chose to make a rice-paddy version of Hokusai, my favorite Japanese artist. This is far more exciting news than Hokusai iPods.
Farmers in Inakadate (in the Aomori prefecture) have been growing their rice art like this since the early 1990s. A few other fields in rural Japan make art in their rice paddies, but Inakadate started the trend and also makes the best looking fields. I think this is beautiful.

The rice paddy art will be visible until September, when it will be harvested.




Here is a present I made for you if you like Japanese bands.