DIFFICULY
★☆☆☆☆
2 hours 30 minutes
1-10 people
From
From ¥55,000 (tax included)
田んぼ, ウェルネス, 農業
OVERVIEW
Satoyama "Mud" Fantasy
~Returning to childlike wonder through the quintessential anime landscape. A muddy adventure and a cleansing ritual in a clear stream.~
[Prologue: The Water Mirror Gate]
A month ago, the fields in Akiruno were hard, slushy soil, but they have undergone a dramatic transformation.
What stretches out before you is a rice field filled with abundant water.
The way it perfectly reflects the surrounding mountains and sky is exactly like the nostalgic Satoyama (rural landscape) world you might see in Japanese anime films.
However, it's not just about looking at the scenery.
Today is the day you become a part of the landscape and dive into a world of mud and water.
[Chapter 1: The Aesthetics of Equality and the Dance of the "Dragonfly"]
The guide hands you a T-shaped traditional farming tool, which is called a "Tombo" (or "Dragonfly Rake") because of its shape.
Today's mission is "paddy field preparation (Shirokaki)".
This is the process of leveling and smoothing out uneven soil.
Why flatten it?
This is to ensure that every seedling receives the life-giving gift of water "equally."
This place embodies the Japanese spirit of fairness that has been present since ancient times.
All participants line up in a row and pull the dragonfly in unison.
As you move, the muddy water ripples and eventually settles, revealing a perfect, distortion-free "Water Mirror."
It's an artistic moment where we shape the canvas that connects the sky and the earth with our own hands.
[Chapter 2: Mud Fantasy and Earthing]
Once the signal to finish the work is given, let's leave our adult rationality behind on the embankment.
Now it's time for a "mud adventure" that will bring out your inner child.
The mud from the rice paddies, rich in organic matter, is warm and surprisingly smooth.
The feeling of spreading your toes, which are usually crammed inside your shoes, and gripping the mud.
It is the very essence of "earthing," a connection with the Earth that modern people are beginning to forget.
When we're covered in mud and laughing together, nationality and social status don't matter.
Try out the "shifting your center of gravity in the mud" technique taught by guide Mr. Nishikawa, or get covered in mud alongside frogs and water striders.
It is a liberating therapy that allows you to shed the armor of society and return to your pure "life."
[Epilogue: Purification by the Clear Stream]
The grand finale of our mud play is a short trip to the clear stream of the Akigawa River, which flows right next to the rice paddies.
I immerse my hands and feet in the cold, clear water to wash away the mud.
This act is not merely a cleansing. Like the "Misogi (purification)" ritual in Japanese Shintoism, it washes away the stresses and fatigue of everyday life along with the mud into a clear stream.
What remains on the skin is a smooth feeling from the mud pack effect and a refreshing, rejuvenated sensation.
Today, embraced by the mud and water of the countryside, you will discover a new you.
It's like something out of a Japanese animated film. Embark on a "mud adventure" in the rural countryside of Akiruno, where adults can rediscover their inner child.
Using the traditional farming tool "Tombo," the process of "puddling" the rice paddies, transforming them into beautiful water mirrors, is the ultimate earthing time, where the feel of the mud is incredibly soothing.
After getting covered in mud from head to toe, we headed to the clear stream of Akigawa River, which flows right beside us.
The act of washing away dirt with cold water is a Japanese ritual called "Misogi," which is believed to purify the mind and body.
This is the ultimate rural fantasy, where you can unleash yourself amidst nostalgic scenery.
HIGHLIGHTS
Embodied Japan's aesthetic concept of "equality": Art with traditional farming tool "Dragonfly Rake" and water mirrors**
After filling the rice paddies with water, "shirokaki," the process of leveling the soil, is a crucial step in ensuring that water reaches all the seedlings equally. Here, a traditional wooden farming tool resembling an insect, called a "Dragonfly Rake," is used. The sight of all participants lined up in a row, pulling the rake in unison, embodies the beauty of Japanese collective action. The moment the work is finished, the dramatically changing scene of the leveled water surface reflecting the sky as a "Water Mirror" is breathtakingly beautiful.
The ultimate earthing experience: Mud Walking Meditation and River Cleansing guided by a former monk**
The experience of stepping barefoot into the mud of a rice paddy, rich in organic matter, is a form of earthing that helps modern people reconnect with nature. In the unstable mud, the "walking technique using your core muscles," taught by a former monk and osteopath, becomes a practical form of walking meditation. After enjoying the feel of the mud, head to the nearby clear stream, the Akigawa River. Washing the mud off in the cold river water brings a refreshing feeling that goes beyond mere cleansing, like a purification ritual.
Immerse yourself in the world of "Totoro." Experience the biodiversity of the satoyama and rediscover your inner child through mud play.**
In May, when the rice paddies are filled with water, they become a treasure trove of life (biotope) where frogs, water striders, dragonfly larvae, and more gather. Here you'll find the nostalgic, quintessential satoyama landscape depicted in the Japanese animated film "My Neighbor Totoro." Playing in the mud isn't just a privilege for children. Adults, too, can forget their social status and age, surrender to the feel of the mud, and return to their childlike selves—a wonderful stress release that transcends language barriers.
ITINERARY
TOKYO Yamagawa Rice Farming Vol.2
Art of Mud & Water: Preparing the Water Mirror with "Paddy Field Preparation" and Earthing
Theme: The Japanese aesthetic of "equality" and mud therapy that brings back childlike wonder.
[Detailed Time Schedule (2 hours 30 minutes)]
• 09:10 - 09:30
Reception and changing room (Prepare for the Mud)
◦ Location: On-site or Musashi-Itsukaichi Station.
◦ Clothing: Change into clothes that you don't mind getting dirty with mud, such as socks you don't mind throwing away, going barefoot, or wearing a rash guard over your swimsuit.
• 09:30 - 10:00
Orientation & Ecosystem & Life Observation
◦ Introduction: When rice paddies are filled with water, the environment changes dramatically. We will look for aquatic creatures such as frogs, water striders, and dragonfly larvae (Biodiversity) and observe the rice paddies as a "satoyama biotope" where diverse life cycles take place.
◦ Explanation: Why are rice paddies leveled? It's "to ensure that water reaches all the seedlings equally."
This presentation will convey how the Japanese society's values of "fairness" and "harmony" are reflected in agricultural technology.
• 10:00 - 10:50
Activity 1: Plowing and using a "TOMBO" (dragonfly)
◦ Experience: You will use a traditional Japanese wooden farming tool called a "dragonfly rake".
◦ Deep Culture Point:
▪ Operation of the "Dragonfly" tool: This tool is named after its shape, which resembles that of a dragonfly.
Use this to level out the uneven soil.
▪ Team Building: It's difficult to create a flat surface alone. By having participants line up in a row and communicate with each other as they move forward, they can efficiently create a beautiful flat surface.
▪ Water Mirror: When the soil is leveled, the surface of the rice paddy water beautifully reflects the sky.
We share an aesthetic sensibility that sees this as "the work of connecting the sky and the earth."
• 10:50 - 11:00
Satoyama Tea Break (Nature Break)
◦ Content: Rest with your feet in the mud or sitting on the embankment. Listen to the sounds of the wind and water.
• 11:00 - 11:50
Activity 2: Mud Earthing (Mud Therapy)
◦ Experience: After the work is finished, you'll have free time to enjoy the feel of the mud all over your body.
◦ Deep Culture Point:
▪ "Earthing": Modern people live disconnected from the earth. Touching the mud of a rice paddy, which is rich in organic matter, with your skin is the ultimate therapy that releases electromagnetic waves and stress and connects you with the Earth.
▪ Walking Meditation: Your footing is unstable in the mud. A former monk and osteopath will guide you on how to shift your center of gravity in the mud using your core, helping you develop your sense of balance.
▪ Mud Play: As the source states, the time spent playing in the mud provides a sense of liberation that transcends logic for both children and adults.
• 11:50 - 12:00
Purification in the River
◦ Content: We move to the irrigation canal or Akigawa River that flows very close to the rice paddies and wash off the mud.
◦ Conclusion: As you wash off the mud in the cool, clear stream, you'll notice your skin is incredibly smooth. Feeling purified in both body and soul, you'll then disperse.
DETAILS
[Tokyo Mountain Area Authentic Rice Paddy Experience Tour: Precautions, Clothing, and Items to Bring]
1. Regarding clothing
Since you'll be going into the rice paddies, it's essential to wear comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting dirty.
Please wear rubber boots and work gloves.
2. Packing List
Change of clothes, towel, drinks, rain gear (as work will be done even in light rain), hat.
3. Regarding costs
What's included in the tour price:
Participation fee
What is not included in the tour price:
Please cover transportation costs to the location, parking fees (1000 yen per day, payable in cash on-site), and personal drinks and snacks. Please also bring cash for shopping.
4. Response in case of rain
In principle, the event will proceed regardless of rain.
Rice field work needs to be carried out regardless of the weather.
However, if we determine that the event cannot be held due to severe weather such as a typhoon, we will contact you with an alternative date by the evening of the day before.
5. Other Notes
Safety management: Use shovels and hoes.
Please follow the guide's instructions and handle the equipment carefully to avoid injury.
Consideration for wildlife: Rice paddies are home to many living creatures.
Please participate with the spirit of Leave No Trace, treating nature with care.
6. Meeting place and contact information
Meeting place: Itsukaichi area, Akiruno City, Tokyo (a detailed map will be sent via email after registration).
For those traveling by train: 15-minute walk from JR Musashi-Itsukaichi Station.
For those arriving by car: You can use the nearby paid parking lot (1000 yen/day).
Organizer/Inquiries:
Tokyo Yamagawa DMC Co., Ltd.
(Email: info@fwness.com)
Get in touch with our team for quotes and advice,
including tour content not included on this site.