[Senmaida] Tourist Information: Nature & Environment - Ishikawa Prefecture Ryokan and Hotel Association

Spanning 1.2 hectares of steep slopes at the foot of Mount Takasu, terraced rice paddies stretch out in layer upon layer. There are more than 1,000 of them. The green paddies extend toward the sea, arranged in geometric patterns that create a vivid landscape against the blue ocean. The average size of a single paddy field is only about 3 tatami mats (6 m²). Because the fields are too narrow for tractors to enter, farming is done the old-fashioned way by hand, requiring several times the effort needed for flatland farming. While there is a severe shortage of successors to cultivate the white rice grown in these “Senmaida” terraced fields, the community is actively engaged in preservation efforts to ensure their survival.