ZAMA, JAPAN – American military community members experienced an integral part of Japanese (agri)culture by joining a rice-planting event June 1 in a locally owned rice field near the U.S. Army’s Camp Zama.
The Zama International Association, a volunteer organization that promotes bilateral exchange activities, annually invites non-Japanese locals to teach them the basics of rice planting and to encourage interactions with citizens from Camp Zama’s neighboring city.
About 100 participants from Camp Zama, the nearby Naval Air Facility Atsugi base, and the Zama community joined this year’s event. Adults and children were welcomed, and the event began with a few minutes of playtime and messy foot races in the wet and muddy field.
After that, the field’s owner and ZIA members explained to everyone the proper way to plant the rice sprouts, using a measured rope with notched boards to space them apart. Everyone then got in line and got to work.
Shimizu Yasuo, a ZIA staff member, said the group organizes the annual event to help Zama residents — military community members included — learn about the city and Japanese culture, and to interact with each other.
“The participants all seemed to be enjoying the rice planting from the laughter and smiles on their faces,” Shimizu said. “I hope today will be a memorable cultural experience for them that will last a lifetime.”
The ZIA has plans for more cultural events throughout the year and always hope for and encourage participation from the Camp Zama and U.S. military communities.
Eric Morgan from Camp Zama said the rice planting, a blend of a community event and ecotourism, was exciting for him because it was not only fun, but also informative.
“It’s great to see the Camp Zama community out here engaging where their food is produced,” Morgan said. “It’s a great way to interact together in the same place where you live.”
Clarissa Bermodes, another participant from Camp Zama, said she decided to try rice planting for the first time because she wanted to get the most out of her time living here since moving to Japan six months ago.
“It was pretty hands-on,” she said of the experience. “It was a great opportunity to collaborate with and meet new friends, both locally and within Camp Zama.”
The event concluded with an annual tradition: ZIA participants handed out “onigiri,” or rice balls, made with the rice harvested from the previous year’s planting
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