Awaji Island’s specialty is its rice terraces. It is a valuable treasure of Awaji Island, created by the island’s special topography. Rice terraces were created by turning sloping land into terraced fields for rice cultivation. ″Ishida no Tanada” is said to have the best view point among the rice terraces on Awaji Island. It is a beautiful location that leaves everyone who visits speechless. This time, we will introduce in detail Ishida’s Tanada, a terraced rice field on Awaji Island that turns golden yellow and shines in the sunset.

【Awaji Island specialty】 Spectacular view of golden rice terraces shining in the sunset!!

Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture has some surprising specialties. It is “rice terrace”. There are several rice terrace areas in each region of Awaji Island.The reason there are so many rice terraces on Awaji Island is because there are many mountains and the plains are narrow. For this reason, many rice terraces have been built and rice grown on Awaji Island, making use of the hilly areas.

① Awaji Island’s most famous “Ishida Rice Terrace”

The most famous rice terrace on Awaji Island is the Ishida Rice Terrace. Ishida rice terraces are rice terraces located in the Ishida district, a village near the northwest coast of Awaji Island. Ishida’s rice terraces are terraced rice fields that take advantage of the slope, and are said to be the most beautiful on Awaji Island. The reason why it is famous is because the sunset reflected on the rice fields is beautiful when the rice terraces are full of water, and it looks great when posted on social media. Ishida’s rice terraces are close to the coast, and the location where the rice terraces and the Harima Sea come together is an outstanding scenic spot. It is built on hilly land, and the rice terraces are built to suit the topography, making it a sight to behold due to the variety of shapes.
The best time to see them is around July and September. You can see fresh green leaves around July and golden ears of rice around September.

② Rice terraces near “Awaji Flower Saiziki Park”

This is a rice terrace near Awaji Flower Saiziki Park, about a 20 minute walk away. In addition to the Ishida rice terraces, there are other beautiful rice terraces like this on Awaji Island. I think it’s fun to walk around without disturbing the locals.

➂【Lack of successors】 is the problem faced by Awaji Island’s rice terraces…

The three problems faced by Awaji Island’s rice terraces are the aging of farmers, the lack of successors, and the expansion of abandoned farmland.

① Aging of agricultural workers.

Currently, most of the people who protect Awaji Island’s rice terraces are elderly farmers. The reason why the terraced rice fields on Awaji Island are filled with elderly farmers is because the price of rice is low and young people are no longer able to grow rice.

② Lack of successors.

The reason why Awaji Island’s rice terraces are short of successors is because young farmers can no longer make a living from farming and leave the island.

③ Expansion of abandoned farmland.

The reason why the amount of abandoned farmland in the rice terraces of Awaji Island is expanding is because the rice terraces are built on steep slopes and cannot be adapted to mechanization. As a result, the rice terraces, which required a lot of labor, were left untouched and became abandoned land.

④Event information on rice terraces on Awaji Island

Here you will find detailed information about events at the rice terraces on Awaji Island.

❶Awaji Island bamboo lantern event

The Awaji Island Bamboo Lantern Event is an event held in five areas within Awaji City. The event involves arranging hundreds of bamboos equipped with LED lights in rice terraces, shrine grounds, etc., and lighting them up. The event is held around November every year. The locations for the 2023 Awaji Bamboo Lantern Event are as follows:

①Gotocho: Kakiuchi Ruins

②Maya: Observatory from the entrance to Washiho-ji temple approach

③Ikuta: Around Soba Cafe Ikuta

④Nagasawa: Tozenji Temple

⑤ Yanagisawa: Rice terraces near Mikatani Pond

At Yanagisawa time, the rice terraces of Yanagisawa are also lit up.
Participation in the Awaji Island bamboo lantern event is free.

⑤ 【Cycling tour】 around the rice terraces of Awaji Island.

On Awaji Island, there is a service that allows you to cycle through areas with beautiful rice terraces on sports bikes. The service is provided by “Bicycle Hub Awaji”. The location is “Roadside Station Higashiura Terminal Park Higashiura Bussankan 103, 657 Ura, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture.”

❶ A scenic course that runs through the beautiful terraced rice fields!

The service provided by Bicycle Hub Awaji is “a scenic course that runs through the beautiful Tanada area!” The feature of the course is that it goes from Bicycle Hub Awaji to the west coast of Awaji Island and goes around rice terraces. Along the course, you will pass through rice terraces and overlook the Harima Sea. You can go around the beautiful northern part of Awaji Island, so it’s full of Awaji Island’s charms. However, since it is a course that goes over mountains, it is recommended for people who have a certain level of physical strength or who regularly ride bicycles.

❷Course introduction

″A scenic course that runs through the beautiful terraced rice fields!” is the following course.

①Bicycle Hub Awaji (starting point)

② Rice terraces (7km point)

③West coast (10km point)

④Roadside Station Awaji (20km point)

⑤Bicycle Hub Awaji (30km point: goal)

″A scenic course that runs through the beautiful terraced rice fields!” is a course that runs clockwise for a total distance of 30 km.

⑥ Access information to Ishida rice terraces

Here you will find detailed information about access to Ishida’s rice terraces.
The address of Ishida Rice Terraces is 207 Ishida, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture.

❶Route from Kobe City to Ishida Rice Terraces by car

Shin Kobe ⇒ Prefectural Road ⇒ Hanshin No. 3 Kobe Line ⇒ 2nd Shinmei Road ⇒ Hanshin No. 5 Ban Line ⇒ Kobe -Awaji Naruto Expressway ⇒ Kita -Tan IC ⇒ About 20 minutes by car ⇒ Ishida Tanada

Summary

This time, we introduced the terraced rice fields of Ishida on Awaji Island, which turn a golden yellow color that shines in the sunset. The first time you see Ishida’s rice terraces illuminated by the setting sun, you will be moved by their beauty. It has such overwhelming beauty that it speaks strongly to the hearts of Japanese people. When you visit Awaji Island, we highly recommend visiting the Ishida rice terraces.