For Takeyuki Satokawa, 81, and his wife Masako, 77, the past autumn was the first season in which they bought rice grown by someone else.
The couple, living in Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, stopped growing rice in their small family paddies in 2024 due to old age and rising costs.
¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± they said together as they held their bowls of freshly cooked rice one day in early November.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.