Kumamoto's Rice Paddies in Autumn

Bucolic countryside in southern Kyushu

By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

Supposedly the appearance of the red cluster amaryllis indicates that the harvest time is drawing near

Photographers flock to rural Kumamoto's rice paddies in autumn

Red cluster amaryllis in a rice paddy near Yamato Town in Kumamoto Prefecture

Farmers drain the paddies at the start of the harvest, causing the rice to "fall over"

Rice stalks are cut, bundled and hung to dry

Rice paddies ready for harvest near Yamato Town

The paddies in Kumamoto turn golden in the autumn

Kumamoto City gets most of the press in the travel guides but it is the countryside that is the unsung hero. Hop on a bus or rent a car and head southeast. Your route will take you below the pastureland of volcanic Mt Aso and into the regions where rice paddies cling to the hillsides, occupying every available inch of space. As the road winds through the mountains on its way to Miyazaki Prefecture, every turn brings a new tableau more picturesque than the last. It's beautiful year-round in this region but autumn is the highlight. From the arrival of thte red cluster amaryllis in September to the golden rice grains waving in the breeze as October begins, Kumamoto's rice paddies are the "it" sight in the fall for photographers.

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By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

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Victoria Vlisides 9 years ago

Gorgeous! Really need to go see rice paddies in person soon

Mandy Bartok Photographer 11 years ago

Thank you, Jessica! Kumamoto, and really Kyushu as a whole, is so undervisited and I just don't see why. I have seen some of the most stunning natural scenery in Japan here and the food - so much of it grown locally - is top notch. You should definitely put us on your travel plans!

Jessica A Paje 11 years ago

I loved the way you captured these rice paddies in photos! Really enjoyed your descriptive writing style, too. Makes me want to take a trip out there tomorrow!! :-)

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