Paddy Rice Farming and the Origin of Japanese Folk Customs

Spread from the south of the Chinese Yangtze River in the late Jomon,paddy rice farming,as a new way of production and living,has evolved a unique Japanese folk custom through long integration with local natural and humane conditions.There are many customs in Japan now that may have originated from paddy rice farming,such as large number of Inari shrine,fox worship,love for cherry blossoms,decorated simenawa in celebrating Spring Festival and sport of sumo,etc.A variety of activities of offering sacrifices to gods or ancestors are held in Japan all the year around,but it is easy to find out that most of them more or less have some relationship with rice-crop's seeding,germination,growth and harvest when their origins are traced.These activities,possessed of obvious realistic characteristics,express the Japanese people's wish for harvest.Paddy rice farming has been regarded as the source of power,from which the custom originated that people seek power from rice.Also,it is common in Japan that rice and finished rice products are offered as sacrifices to gods or ancestors on festival days.Nowadays,the Japanese diet customs are still influenced by paddy rice farming.The rice-crop culture is surely recognized as the soul of the Japanese culture.