Emperor Harvests Rice at Imperial Palace

Sep 04, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Emperor of Japan carried out the annual rice harvest on Wednesday afternoon in the paddy fields of Tokyo's Imperial Palace, wearing rubber boots and holding a sickle, carefully harvesting the ripened rice stalks one by one with practiced hands.

The rice includes two varieties: “Nihon Masari,” a type of non-glutinous rice, and “Mangetsu Mochi,” a type of glutinous rice. The seeds were sown in April, and the Emperor personally planted the seedlings in May.

Despite being affected by extreme heat and sudden downpours this year, the rice has grown well.

The Emperor harvested a total of 20 stalks.

The harvested rice will be used for rituals at the Imperial Court and the Ise Grand Shrine.

Rice cultivation at the Imperial Palace began with Emperor Showa and has been passed down from the Emperor Emeritus to the current Emperor.

Source: ANN

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