Hoshitoge Rice Terraces

Among the largest mountainside rice farms in Tokamachi, with around 200 interconnected paddies cut into Mt. Matsuno's slopes over several centuries. Beech groves at the summit act as a natural sponge, storing snowmelt and rainwater that feeds the terraces through gravity. The paddies support a chain of wildlife, from meadowhawk dragonflies to frogs and predatory birds. As Japan's rural population ages, many terraces have been abandoned, but Hoshitoge is maintained through a shared ownership scheme where contributors across the country receive rice in exchange for supporting continued cultivation.