Many businessmen in Japan have an interesting vacation whenever they get a few days off in a row. Golden Week (from April 29 to May 6th or so) is an opportune time for the businessmen to rush out of Osaka or Tokyo and return to Kanazawa for some Hard Work. Many businessmen's parents still own and operate small farms, usually growing rice but also a variety of other foods such as apples, pears, cucumbers, and potatoes.
But the older people can't run it completely by themselves. They need help at least during planting season and harvest season. Fortunately for them, planting season comes about the same time as Golden Week. Convenient! Businessmen rush home (with their families, wives and older children are allowed to participate) and help plant whatever crops need to be planted.
Harvest season coincides nicely with another vacation called Obon (mid or late August, depending on where you live.)
Finally, some businessmen don't return just twice a year but every day. They work in a company during the day and after work, return to their parents farms and help out with whatever needs to be done. They have two full time jobs. It's no wonder that on Saturday night they want to relax in a bar with their friends and a few schooners of beer.
Below is a video of a typical rice planting. The 'traditional' method - planting by hand - seems to be done primarily by women. The machine is handled by the men.
But the older people can't run it completely by themselves. They need help at least during planting season and harvest season. Fortunately for them, planting season comes about the same time as Golden Week. Convenient! Businessmen rush home (with their families, wives and older children are allowed to participate) and help plant whatever crops need to be planted.
Harvest season coincides nicely with another vacation called Obon (mid or late August, depending on where you live.)
Finally, some businessmen don't return just twice a year but every day. They work in a company during the day and after work, return to their parents farms and help out with whatever needs to be done. They have two full time jobs. It's no wonder that on Saturday night they want to relax in a bar with their friends and a few schooners of beer.
Below is a video of a typical rice planting. The 'traditional' method - planting by hand - seems to be done primarily by women. The machine is handled by the men.
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