In the deep mountains of the Kumano region, one encounters landscapes where time seems to have stood still. Lands once bustling with rice cultivation now quietly mark the passage of time amidst nature. This article shares the mystical nature of Kumano and the beauty of its forgotten terraced rice fields.
When I first stepped into this area, I was overwhelmed by the sight. The terraced fields, formed over a long period, no longer serve as rice paddies but resemble the ruins of an abandoned civilization, with towering cedar trees. The stone terraces of the rice fields are like ancient castle walls. The large trees that thrive there have grown undisturbed for decades, evidence of the absence of human touch.
Once a year, we visit this place to climb to the mountain’s water intake and check the intake and the pipes along the way, ensuring that water flows smoothly from the mountain. On our way up, we encounter a sudden clearing. It is here, in the stone terraces that were once used for rice cultivation. In the decades of abandonment, large cedars have grown in the terraced fields.
These terraces are made of large stones and, at first sight, it was hard to imagine that they were once rice paddies. They are so grand that I initially thought there might have been a castle there in the past. This is a precious place that is rarely seen by ordinary travelers. It is a unique landscape formed by the distinctive terrain of the Kumano region.
I wish not only for foreigners but also for Japanese people to see this scenery. Experience the harmony of nature and history in the secluded areas of Kumano.
