Sasaragi Tanada

Terraced paddy fields in Sasaragi district

Sasaragi Higashi (Eastern) Tanada : 佐々良木東棚田

Sasaragi Tanada is one of Tanada in Ena City, and it's divided into Eastern and Western part across Route 418. Both Eastern and Western are on relatively gentle slopes, have large rectangular paddy fields and paths for bringing in tractors.

Western Tanada, which is on more gentle slope, has the feature that we can see the spread of paddy fields widely. The features of Eastern Tanada are that it is easier to see the height difference than the spread of paddy fields and that a small house with a thatched roof is in a corner of it.

Where I often visit for shooting is Eastern. Because I like to see the small house with the thatched roof and its garden. Also, there are a house with a nice garden and a hideaway restaurant near, and there is also a roadside station "Rassei Misato" along Route 418 (and Gifu Prefectural Road 66), so fortunately we can also take a break easily.

paddy fields with growing rice plants look like a green carpet : 成長中の稲が緑の絨毯のよう

entrance part for a tractor : トラクターの入口

the summer state of a small house with a thatched roof and its garden : 茅葺の家と庭の夏の様子

i took these photos of this post in summer 2021. I visited Sasaragi Tanada aiming for the time when rice plants were growing remarkable and paddy fields looked like green carpets. It was a fine day in rainy season, so the amount of water was abundant and surface of water in the entrance for the tractor looked shimmering, also trees of the garden of the small house with a thatched roof were lively and foliage. Moreover, I don't show photos in this post, but from there, we can enjoy the nice landscape, being able to view mountains of Keihoku Area (Northern Ena City) and further north.

Sasaraki Tanada is one of the valuable places where we can enjoy the scenery of the agricultural area in Tono region of Gifu prefecture while having a convenient environment for transportation.

Click here for the terraced paddy fields introduction page in Gifu Prefecture official website (including the introduction about Sasaragi Tanada).

＊＊＊ in Japanese ＊＊＊

佐々良木棚田

　佐々良木棚田は岐阜県恵那市にある棚田の１つで、国道418号線で佐々良木西棚田と佐々良木東棚田に分かれています。どちらも比較的緩やかな斜面にあり、田の１つ１つが四角く大きめで、トラクターなどの機械を入れる小道もあります。
　西棚田は特に斜面が緩やかで、水田が並ぶさまを広く見渡せるのが特徴です。東棚田は、水田の広がりよりも高低差のほうが見渡しやすいことと、一角に茅葺き屋根の小さな家があるのが特徴です。
　私がよく撮影に出かけるのは、東棚田のほうです。茅葺の家とその庭を拝見するのが好きだからです。また、近くにお庭の素敵な住宅や隠れ家的な飲食店もありますし、国道沿いには道の駅「らっせいみさと」もあり、休憩しやすいのも嬉しいです。

　この記事に掲載した画像は、夏に写したものです。稲の成長著しく、水田がまるで緑の絨毯のように見える頃を狙って出かけました。梅雨の晴れ間でもあったので、水量も豊かでトラクターの入り口付近の水面が煌めいて見えたり、茅葺の家の庭木たちも生き生きと葉を茂らせていました。また、今回は画像として掲載していませんが、棚田からの眺めも良く、恵北地区（恵那市北部）やさらに北にある山々まで見渡せます。
　佐々良木棚田は、交通の便が良い環境でありながら、岐阜県東濃地方の農業地帯の風景を堪能できる、貴重な場所の１つです。

岐阜県公式サイト内の棚田の紹介ページにて、佐々良木棚田も紹介されています。