the rice fields have been flooded

much like the cherry blossoms and their blooming, the flooding of the rice fields happen over time as you trace japan from the south to the north. while we were in kyushu several weeks ago we noticed that not only had the rice fields already been flooded, but that the rice was already almost a foot high. at the time our fields were still dry. they've just been flooded and yesterday the light (after a storm) was just brilliant so i couldn't resist pulling over and snapping a few pics.