The taste of spring, rice paddies in Shonai

The plum blossom blooms noblely with a faint sweet scent. It heralds the arrival of spring before the cherry blossoms. A butterbur sprout sticking out of the ground. The bittersweet flavor makes you feel spring in your mouth. Yellow rape blossoms blooming on the farm road. Tractors in the rice fields. Add water and knead the soil to prepare for rice planting. Abundant snowmelt water moistens the rice fields. Short rice seedlings arranged evenly. The sun reflects off the paddy fields and makes them sparkle. Shonai has many local festivals in spring. Miso soup [Moso soup] made from Shonai’s specialty Moso bamboo and sake lees is served to customers. On days when it’s a little chilly, Shonai’s local cuisine will warm you up.