ORYZA _ ASIAN RICE TERRACES "Tanada"

Welcome to the "Oryza (Asian Rice Terraces )" website !

In Asia, scenes of rice fields are a familiar sight. The rice suitable for the climate of Asia when it rains in summer creates a particular scene in each district. The paddy field on the flat ground, the swamp belt of a delta, and the rice terraces ("Tanada" in Japanese) of a mountain slope.

When Kenji Aoyagi visited the village of Hani people in Yunnan-province, China, 1992, he saw the huge rice terraces there. A lot of rice fields glittered in the morning sun. It was the first experience of the rice terraces for him. At that time, he was completely enchanted by the beauty of the rice terraces. So he began to take photographs of the rice terraces. Over a period of ten years, he visited the Asian countries and Madagascar. He found many beautiful rice terraces in each countries.

Concern about rice terraces has grown in Japan recently. The many sided functions of the rice terrace is being reappraised in that it is not only can be seen as a place to cultivate rice , but also as "a green dam" which serves to preserve the countryside. For example, saving the water from rain and prevent floods in natural environment and as a cultural heritage.

This home page is the photo gallery which introduces the rice culture of Asia with the key words "rice terrace" and "rice".

Please enjoy my photograph.

photographer Aoyagi Kenji

" Oryza" is the scientific name of the rice.

[ The botanical classification ]
Oryza sativa L
Oryza glaberrima Steud
(The former is a rice made in all over the world, the latter is in only a part of Western Africa)

[ The classification of Oryza sativa L ]
Japanese Type(Japonica) /Indian Type(Indica)

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Plesase enjoy the photograph in the Blog "Isshin-issha".

"TANADA" Japanese Rice Terraces [Kindle Edition]