Interesting Facts
Rice is the second highest worldwide production after maize (corn). Since maize is mostly grown for purposes other than human consumption, rice is the most important grain for human consumption.
Rice is a symbol of life and fertility, which is why rice was traditionally thrown at weddings.
Japanese people believe it is important to not waste rice, so it you leave rice in your bowl it is considered to be rude.
Growing Rice
Cultivated rice has a semi-aquatic ancestry and is therefore extremely sensitive to water shortages. When the soil water content drops below saturation, most rice varieties develop symptoms of water stress. Sound water management practices are needed to use water wisely and maximize rice yield. To ensure sufficient water, most rice farmers aim to maintain flooded conditions in their field, which is known as a Paddy. Paddy fields are the typical feature of rice farming in the east. The word "paddy" is derived from the Malay word padi, rice plant
In Japan, the soil is acidic due to volcanic eruptions, and therefore the paddy field the most productive farming method. Paddy fields are represented by the kanji 田 (commonly read as ta) that has had a strong influence on Japanese culture. In fact, the character 田, which originally meant 'field' in general, is used in Japan exclusively to convey the meaning 'rice paddy field'.
Today, many family names have ta as a component, a practice which can be largely attributed to a government edict which required all citizens to have a family name. Many chose a name based on some geographical feature associated with their residence or occupation, and as nearly three fourths of the population were farmers, many made family names using ta. Some common examples are Tanaka (田中), literally meaning "in the paddy field; "Nakata (中田), "middle paddy field;" Kawada (川田), "river paddy field;" and Furuta (古田), "old paddy field."
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In recent years rice consumption in Japan has fallen and many rice farmers are increasingly elderly. The government has subsidized rice production since the 1970s, and favours protectionist policies regarding cheaper imported rice.
Paddy fields are a major source of atmospheric methane and have been estimated to contribute in the range of 50 to 100 million tonnes of the gas per annum. This can be reduced while also boosting crop yield by draining the paddies to allow the soil to aerate to interrupt methane production.