Kunugidaira Rice Terraces When the sky is reflected in the water, you can really see the shape of each terrace.

I came to Ipponmatsu Park on a May afternoon to see the Kunugidaira Rice Terraces in Asahi Town. After getting out of the car and walking to the viewpoint, I found the sky reflected in the paddies right in front of me. I'd pictured fields full of rice plants, so the expanse of water caught my eye first. Every plot had a different shape, and I couldn't decide where to look.

I straightened the cuff of my yellow cardigan and turned toward the terraces. The banks curved from the foreground into the distance. These weren't neat rows of square fields; you could see how each one followed the slope. As I watched the clouds reflected in the water, I found myself wanting to take in the mountains beyond the paddies, too.

My friend said the terraces spread out like a fan. I traced the lines of the banks with my eyes, then looked toward the little settlement below. Seeing the town and forest along with the terraces made it feel as if the paddies carried on through the landscape. After the drive out here, I was glad I could take it all in from above.

For a break, I poured some of the apple juice I'd brought from Asahi Town into a little cup and took a sip. As the sweet apple flavor spread through my mouth, I felt myself relax and take in the view. I wanted to stay a little longer with the cup in my hand, watching the sky on the water.

I'd heard that they start flooding these paddies in mid-May, with rice planting beginning toward the end of the month. This view of the sky reflected across the water was part of the lead-up to the next stage of work in the fields. Until then, I'd only been admiring the curves of the banks; now I could picture people working plot by plot. As I talked with my friend, I turned my eyes back to the water.

When my cup was empty, I adjusted my hold on the bottle. I wanted to remember the shape of each paddy with the sky reflected in it, not rely on the photos alone. Next time I look at those pictures, I think I'll remember the sweetness of the apple juice, too. My friend and I talked about where to stop on the way back as we walked through the park toward the car.