When I arrived at the rice field, I happened to see a farmer who is a member of K family. He said we would be able to see ear emergence around Obon (August 12 to 16). He also said the neighboring two fields were damaged by rice blast and that one of the causes was that they used groundwater directly without storing water for warm up.
(Today's Rice Field)
(Close-up)
(Damage by Rice Blast)When I visited last week, I found a rice field was covered with orange nets. I had heard that the rice planting had taken place at the field first this year and the planted brand was “Koshihikari (meaning light of Koshi (=Niigata Prefecture))” that was a famous brand in Japan. Today I have found ear emergence all over the field. Dragonflies were flying freely.
At home we have “Hitomebore (meaning love at the first sight)” which is a closely-related variety of Koshihikari and cheaper than Koshihikari.
(Dragonflies Flying over the Rice Field)
(Ear Emergence of Koshihikari)