They were growing rice in
the Yayoi period, right?

Aye, the Yayoi people cultivated
the lowlands, built facilities to
bring water to the fields, and
then started paddy rice
cultivation. But, recent research
has revealed that rice was also
cultivated during the Jomon
period.

Was rice in the Yayoi
period different from
rice we have today?

Indeed. It seems that there were
individual differences in the
height and size of the ears of rice
in the Yayoi period. It is also said
that the color of the ears of rice
was reddish compared to the
color of ears of rice that modern
people imagine. Modern rice is
the result of many generations of
selective breeding.

Wow,
that’s quite a difference.

Harvesting methods were also
different. Today, rice is
harvested from the base, but in
the Yayoi period, stone reaper
were used to pick only the ears
of rice.

Modern rice was developed
as a result of various
innovations!