🗺️ Inakura Rice Terraces稲倉の棚田

The Inakawa Rice Terraces, selected as one of Japan's "Hundred Selected Rice Terraces," is a still-cultivated terraced rice field that stretches across the valley at an elevation of 750 meters, built along the mountainside, resembling a beautiful pastoral landscape painting. Standing atop the terraces, one can gaze upon the Northern Alps, the Yatsugatake mountain range, and the surrounding mountains, as well as the urban landscape of Ueda, along with the various sizes of rice terraces that change their appearance with the seasons. Scattered along the edges of the fields are horizontal burial mounds dating back to around 700 AD, indicating that humans have been cultivating rice terraces since that time. The best period to view the rice terraces is from late May to late October each year. In the Inakawa Rice Terraces area, a dreamlike festival called "shi-shi-odoshi" (Japanese: ししおどし) is held annually. People light countless candles among the tiered rice fields and parade with torches through the terraces to pray for a bountiful harvest. (The event is organized by the owners of the rice terraces. No parking is available on the day of the event, so public transportation is recommended for visiting.) Additionally, there are camping facilities where visitors can enjoy the starry sky and the beautiful views of the rice terraces, making it highly recommended to stay overnight. For more information about camping, please check the official website.

A beautiful spot selected as one of the "Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields in Japan." The "Inakura Terraced Rice Field Camping Site" allows you to enjoy the terraced scenery in solitude. Many horizontal burial mounds are scattered along the edges of the fields. For information about festival activities and camping, please check the official website. The terraced fields are privately owned, so please be sure to observe the relevant rules and etiquette.