rice field preparation
田作り tazukuri
Rice is a hardy plant that can grow in almost any soil. As long as it is sufficiently watered (either by irrigation or rainfall), it can grow in both wet and dry fields – almost half of the agricultural land in Japan is used for wet rice cultivation. However, as a good yield is expected from the field, the soil must be prepared to receive the young rice plants, i.e. the rice fields must be free of weeds and undesirable substances. Many rice farmers plough and till the field to prepare the soil. In some cases, harrowing also helps to break up the clods of earth, also known as clods, into smaller pieces.
