No.103 Two rice planting festivals

This year, we have been busy with countermeasures against the new coronavirus infection since the beginning of the year, but two rice planting festivals were held in the city, and I was able to be involved in both. Planting rice gave me a sense of nature and allowed me to relax for a moment.
The event was held on May 24, 2020 (Sunday) at a rented fallow field in Sakahama as part of the event ``Everyone's FUJISAN Earth Festa WA 2020 Tokyo,'' a rice planting festival sponsored by the executive committee. did. It is said that it is held at the Mt. Fuji venue and other locations that it tours every year. This year's tournament was scheduled to be held in Tokyo, and it was said that Inagi would be a good place to grow rice, so the rice fields in Sakahama were selected, so I, the local mayor, was asked to be the tournament president.
On the day of the rice planting festival, there was a state of emergency in place and there was a moment when it was feared that the festival would not be held, but the festival was scaled back and held after taking measures to prevent infectious diseases. We would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in cultivating the fields, including mowing the fields, raising the fields, and plowing the fields.
I heard that the NPO Corporation Living Together with the Earth, which serves as the secretariat of the executive committee for this event, is working at the foot of majestic Mt. Fuji with the themes of healthy youth development, natural environment conservation, and food improvement and security. I am. Originally, Mr. Masahiko Asaka, a former member of the Imperial Palace family, was scheduled to come and participate in the rice planting, but due to the scale of the event being scaled back to prevent the spread of infection, he was unable to attend, which was very disappointing.
Our country is called the country of Mizuho, ​​and since ancient times it has been centered around rice cultivation. Growing rice goes beyond simply producing food; it also involves the creation of lifestyle habits, entertainment, and culture, and forms a spiritual culture that penetrates deep into our hearts. When I was a child, I was taught at home to eat cleanly and not to waste a single grain of rice, even if I left side dishes out. The lesson was not just to respect food, but also to consider the hardships of the farmers who produce the rice and eat with gratitude.
Although the scale was smaller this time, local parents and children participated, and the small children even got covered in mud and planted by hand until the end. I also wore jikatabi and helped out until the end.
On Friday, June 5, 2020, a rice planting festival was held in another rice field (closed to the public) in the city for the rice presented to the Imperial Palace in 2020. This is the second time in 15 years that Inagi City has been selected. Being the owner of a grain field is an important role, but it is also a great honor. In autumn, it is said to be dedicated to Okunitama Shrine, Meiji Shrine, and Ise Shrine at the same time as the grain offering to the imperial court. At this rice-planting festival, only attendees were present at the ceremony, and the people who actually planted the rice were the president of the JA Tokyo Minami representative board association, the owner of the farm who played the role of Tao, the local Tenma Shrine support chairman, and the owner's wife who played the role of Saotome.
Although both days were in the middle of the rainy season, there was no rain, and the event was held on a sunny midsummer day, and I am overwhelmed with emotion that I was able to participate in two rice planting festivals.
While the cityscape is changing with the development of Tama New Town and land readjustment, Inagi City still retains its satoyama and farmland. It's wonderful to have an environment where you can plant rice nearby. We pray that both rice fields will grow safely and that we will be able to hold a harvest festival in the fall.