Looking out the window as the bullet train crosses into northern Iwate Prefecture, the mighty Tohoku mountains stand tall behind deep forests, rice paddies and the occasional sleepy town. Long gone is the constant buzzing of cars and a view that stops on the other side of the street. If it weren't for the train, this place must have felt the same 100 years ago as it does today.
In late September, the trees have only just begun changing their colors but the fields of gold swaying in the cool autumn winds are a sure sign that it won't be long before the rest of the leaves also radiate autumn colors. With remnants of rice fields as far back as 2,000 years ago, Iwate is still today known for its organic agriculture and the country's iconic terraced rice fields, tanada. In the mountains straddling the city of Ichinoseki is one unlike any other.
Kanayama Tanada, named after its owner, is more than 100 years old. Everything from planting to harvesting is done by hand, according to tradition. The blood and sweat of generations have carved out the mountainside and covered it with roughly 100 puddles of carefully planted rice plants. Still a hidden gem, it is slowly drawing more tourists from both near and afar.