Went to harvest rice at Matsudai rice terrace.

We have experienced a long spell of wet weather since the Obon holiday, with few sunny days, but on September 12th and 13th, we managed to find a break in the rain to go to Matsushiro for the rice harvest. Although it didn't rain on the days we were there, the fields were still muddy from the previous days' downpours; moving around was difficult and progress was slow, yet we managed to complete the minimum necessary harvesting before returning home. This year, heavy rains—rather than a water shortage—have impacted the harvest, with some regions even seeing their ripening crops washed away. Facing different challenges each year, I am keenly aware of the difficulties involved in cultivating rice in terraced fields.