{"id":63770,"date":"2025-09-05T09:39:01","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T00:39:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portal.hokuryu.info\/?p=63770"},"modified":"2025-09-09T16:32:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T07:32:23","slug":"%e9%bb%84%e9%87%91%e8%89%b2%e3%81%ae%e7%a8%b2%e7%a9%82%e3%81%a8%e7%ab%9c%e5%b7%bb%e3%81%ae%e8%bb%8c%e8%b7%a1%e3%80%82%e6%b8%a1%e9%82%8a%e9%9d%96%e7%af%84%e3%81%95%e3%82%93%e3%81%a8%e5%b7%a1%e3%82%8b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/portal.hokuryu.info\/en\/63770\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden ears of rice and the trail of a tornado. Exploring Hokuryu Town in the autumn harvest with Yasunori Watanabe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friday, September 5, 2025<\/p>\n

Guided by sake rice grower Yasunori Watanabe, we explored Hokuryu Town just before the rice harvest. We encountered the shining golden rice fields, the cheerful smiles of the mothers of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative, and rare photos of the tornado that occurred the day before. This report captures the town's powerful vitality as it was filled with gratitude for having escaped major damage and prayers for a good harvest.<\/div>\n

Exploring Hokuryu Town with Yasunori Watanabe<\/h2>\n

On Monday, September 1st, after the first shipment of the 2025 harvest rice (glutinous and non-glutinous rice) at the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Agricultural Product Collection and Shipping Facility, Yasunori Watanabe kindly allowed us to accompany him on an "Exploration of Hokuryu Town." Thank you very much. We are truly grateful.<\/p>\n

We left the JA Kitasorachi Kitaryu Branch, passed through Mitani and Himawari Road, went around Iwamura and Miboshi, met the mothers of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative, and returned to the Hekisui and Wa districts, looking out the window at the Keihoku area.<\/p>\n

\"Rice<\/a>
Rice fields surrounded by mountains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Fruitful<\/a>
Fruitful countryside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Farm<\/a>
Farm road leading to the mountains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Farmhouse<\/a>
Farmhouse surrounded by rice fields<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Honoka Agricultural Cooperative<\/h2>\n

The Honoka Agricultural Cooperative produces oil and nuts from sunflower seeds.<\/p>\n

\"Sunflower<\/a>
Sunflower seed processing workshop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sunflower Seed Dryer<\/h4>\n
\"Sunflower<\/a>
Sunflower Seed Dryer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cleaning the grain threshing machine<\/h4>\n
\"Cleaning<\/a>
Cleaning the grain threshing machine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Honoka's mothers<\/h3>\n

Honoka's mother and her friends were in the middle of maintaining the house pipes.<\/p>\n

When I met the mothers of Honoka for the first time in a while, they looked very healthy and were working happily as always with bright smiles on their faces.<\/p>\n

\"Honoka's<\/a>
Honoka's mothers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recording of the tornado (funnel cloud): Photographed by Masae Nakayama and Megumi Mizutani<\/h4>\n

He then showed us some precious photos of the tornado that occurred in Mibaushi on Sunday, August 31st.<\/p>\n

A funnel cloud has an eerie appearance, like the tip of a giant dragon's tail protruding from a dark rain cloud.
\nIt was a great relief that it did not reach the ground and become a powerful tornado, causing no major damage to Hokuryu Town, which was just about to be harvested.<\/p>\n

I'm sure the great dragon god of Hokuryu Town was watching over us and helping us! We are truly grateful. Thank you!<\/p>\n

Raincloud radar for Sunday, August 31st<\/h4>\n
\"Raincloud<\/a>
Raincloud radar for Sunday, August 31st<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Disappearing<\/a>\u3000\u3000\"The<\/a>
\nA close-up of a tornado that occurred around 4 p.m.<\/center><\/p>\n

\"Clouds<\/a>\u3000\u3000\"Scenery<\/a>
\nDisappearing clouds. Scenery of footprints left by a tornado disappearing into the sky.<\/center><\/p>\n

I am truly grateful that the horrific tornado weakened and did not reach the ground, avoiding a major disaster, and that God protected the rice fields of Hokuryu Town before the rice harvest. Thank you so much!!!<\/p>\n

Golden countryside awaiting harvest<\/h2>\n

The rice fields in Hokuryu Town are shining golden in preparation for the rice harvest. This year, the unusually hot, rainy, and windy weather has caused many rice plants to fall over due to the weight of the grains.<\/p>\n

\"Golden<\/a>
Golden rice ears<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rice ears are heavy and some have fallen over...<\/h4>\n
\"The<\/a>
The rice ears are heavy and some have fallen over...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Golden rice fields waiting for harvest<\/h4>\n
\"Golden<\/a>
Golden rice fields waiting for harvest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The power of rice spirit spreads widely<\/h4>\n
\"The<\/a>
The rice fields where the power of rice spirit spreads widely<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With gratitude and prayers<\/h2>\n

We sincerely hope that the rice harvest will go smoothly and that we will be able to harvest an abundance of exquisitely delicious sunflower rice.<\/p>\n

At the end of summer, thanks to Watanabe-san, we were able to see the magnificent scenery overflowing with the power of Hokuryu's rice spirit, and meet the bright and energetic mothers of Honoka, just before the annual autumn festival to give thanks for this year's bountiful harvest, and it is with boundless love, gratitude, and prayers that we were able to do so!!!<\/p>\n

Other photos<\/h2>\n
Exploring Hokuryu Town with Yasunori Watanabe's photos (36 photos) can be found here >><\/a><\/div>\n

Related articles and sites<\/h2>\n

\u25c7 \ud83d\udd8b\ufe0f Content planning, article writing, photo selection, and video creation: Ikuko Terauchi Photography, editing, and website management: Noboru Terauchi<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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